By KYIV. Dec 17 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Russian Federation has changed the launch site of its attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Ukraine due to fears that they could be hit in occupied Crimea, from where they were previously launched, according to a defense intelligence report published on Twitter by the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Saturday.
"The waves of strikes [against Ukraine’s critical national infrastructure in recent days] have largely consisted of air and maritime launched cruise missiles, but have almost certainly also included Iranian-provided uncrewed aerial vehicles being launched from Russia’s Krasnodar region," the report notes.
The ministry notes that earlier these drones were mainly launched from occupied Crimea. "The change of launch site is likely due to Russian concerns about the vulnerability of Crimea, while it is also convenient for resupply from the weapons’ likely arrival point in Russia, at Astrakhan," the UK Ministry of Defence said.
