As of: March 17, 2024, 7:43 p.m
By: Christoph Gschoßmann
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Drone attacks are an effective means for Ukraine in the fight against aggressor Russia.
Old Soviet models are converted for kamikaze missions.
Munich – The defenders in the Ukraine war currently need all the help they can get.
Although President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks of improvement, the Russian armies are advancing in Moscow's war of aggression in Ukraine.
US analysts recently predicted a collapse of the front in the summer.
Kiev lacks weapons, ammunition and soldiers.
The attacked country must make necessity a virtue - also when it comes to technology.
One resource could be leftovers from the Cold War era.
Photos of Tupolev 174/447 drones are circulating on social media.
The massive vehicles were last used in Ukraine a year ago.
Ukraine is also relying on resourceful spotlight help during the war.
Old Tupolev drones in the Ukraine War: relics from the Cold War in use against Russia
The wreckage of a Tu-143 drone near the Russian Bryansk Oblast north of Ukraine can also be seen in photos.
This is said to be part of Ukraine's ongoing large-scale attack campaign against Russian infrastructure near Ukraine.
However, this type of drone is old and is merely a further development of the first generation reconnaissance drones from the Vietnam War.
The Tu-141/143 first flew in 1974. Tupolev built 142 examples of the 47-foot (approx. 14 m) long, ramp-launched Tu-141 at his factory in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine.
This type served until 1989.
Ukrainians overhaul old Soviet drones for fighting in the Ukrainian war
When Russia invaded Ukraine, there were some Tu-141 and Tu-143 drones stored there that were overhauled by the Ukrainians.
The drones fly almost 1,000 kilometers per hour and serve more as cruise missiles.
And so they become a deadly weapon in the Ukraine war: The drones can transport warheads weighing up to 45 kilograms.
According to a report by Forbes, the drones are sent on kamikaze missions.
In the summer of 2023, Kiev used at least two Tu-143s to carry out attacks in western Russia - but the missiles failed due to enemy air defense.
Then on December 5th they were successful when a bomber base was hit.
In the first year, Ukraine is said to have sent a total of 14 Tu-141s and Tu-143s on missions.
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Numerous Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia
Drone warfare is an important part of Ukrainian strategy.
Kiev is the first army in the world to integrate drone squadrons.
Russia said it shot down dozens of Ukrainian drones again on Sunday (March 17, 2024).
Russian air defenses “intercepted and destroyed” 35 unmanned aerial vehicles in eight different regions overnight and on Sunday morning, including four over the capital Moscow, the Defense Ministry said.
The other drones were shot down in the Belgorod, Kaluga, Oriol, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Kursk and Krasnador regions.
(cgsc with afp)