Russia increases Shahed attack drone production for winter campaign against Ukraine – ISW
www.pravda.com.ua
Sat, 28 Dec 2024 05:46:54 +0200
Russia continues to scale up the production of Shahed drones ahead of its winter campaign against Ukraine in 20242025, despite sanctions and technical restrictions.
Source ISW Quote CNN, citing Ukrainian defense intelligence sources, estimated on 27 December that Russias Shahed drone production facility in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone SEZ in the Republic of Tatarstan produced 5,760 drones between January and September 2024 more than twice the number of drones that the facility produced in 2023.
CNN, citing leaked documents from the facility, reported that the Alabuga facility is Russias main Shahed production facility and has already fulfilled an agreement to produce 6,000 drones for the Russian military by September 2025.
Details It is also reported that Russia is actively developing lowtech decoy drones similar to the Shahed, which are used to overcome Ukraines air defence systems.
Up to 10,000 of these decoy drones, almost twice the number of attack drones, are planned to be produced by the end of 2024.
The report notes that the Russians have built two new machine halls at the Alabuga plant and installed droneproof nets over the buildings.
To improve logistics, the Russians have created a railway station with a direct connection between Russia and China, which supplies the necessary components for drone production.
Quote Russian forces will likely continue to adjust their strike packages during Winter 20242025 and beyond in order to inflict significant damage on Ukraines energy grid and critical infrastructure, and Russia likely intends to further increase its production and use of Shahed drones following the anticipated signing of the RussianIranian Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement in January 2025.
More details The analysts say in their report that Russia is facing restrictions on the supply of quality components to its factories due to Western sanctions.
Russians are forced to use lowquality engines made in China.
Nevertheless, Ukrainian forces, thanks to innovations in electronic warfare, are effectively countering Shahed attacks. To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways Russia has continued to expand its domestic production capabilities of Iraniandesigned Shahed drones ahead of its Winter 20242025 strike campaign against Ukraine.
Russia has yet to address limitations in its ability to produce and field Shahed drones, however, and will likely continue to struggle with these limitations in 2025.
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Russian ruler Vladimir Putin appointed Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu to head the newly established Scientific Expert Council of the Russian Security Council.
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