Death of Koschei in Moscow: Why Ukrainian drones can't reach the Russian capital, according to an aviation expert.

The Ukrainian army is conducting long-range strikes on Russian territory at distances of over a thousand kilometers, yet it "skips over" the capital of the Russian Federation, Moscow. There have been some attempts, but in certain instances, Russian air defense forces shot down 60 drones, while only 12 out of 400 managed to reach their destination. What issues do Ukrainian drones face and how can they be resolved? Officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, radio engineer, and aerial reconnaissance specialist, drone manufacturer Yuri Kasyanov shared insights on the "Mirror of the Week" portal.

Kasyanov provided statistics on drone attacks by the Defense Forces on Moscow, located 470 km from Ukraine's borders, and concluded that the Armed Forces of Ukraine currently lack devices capable of reaching the Kremlin. Meanwhile, army depots are "filled" with domestic drones of medium (up to 300 km) and long range (over 300 km). However, they are not utilized because "they don’t reach their targets," he stated.

The article presented evidence of the limited capabilities of drones that have been approved by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and are now in serial production. For example, during the attack on the Russian capital that took place on November 18, 2024, Russia reported the downing of 59 drones, but only two reached the Moscow region. At the same time, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are not targeting Moscow but rather military objectives in Kazan, Grozny, and Kaspiysk. This suggests that the drones lack the specifications necessary to reach heavily protected targets. According to the drone specialist, Ukraine needs to overcome existing obstacles and specifically target the capital of the Russian Federation. He believes this should become a "Manhattan Project," to which the state and developers must dedicate maximum effort.

UAF Drones — What Problems Exist

The expert explained the issues that Ukrainian drones "Bober," "Lyuty," and others cannot overcome:

1. There is a significant presence of electronic warfare systems around Moscow, causing drones to crash during approach. To address this, they need to develop an inertial flight control system, install a magnetic compass, and employ "artificial intelligence" technologies;
2. There is an excessive number of air defense systems that the Russians have gathered around the capital. To solve this, drones must fly at very low altitudes. However, currently, Ukrainian drones fly above 100 m and are large enough to carry more explosives;
3. There is a large variety of different drone models and teams managing them. According to Kasyanov, it is necessary to improve one model and make it as effective as the "Shahed";
4. The launch system for UAF drones is underdeveloped. Some require flat launch sites, which are hard to find. Others leave a thermal trail upon launch, which immediately attracts "Iskanders";
5. Drone icing at low temperatures. Kasyanov rhetorically asks why Ukrainians do not treat surfaces with fluorine-containing compounds (like the "Shaheds") and do not install heating systems.

Ultimately, the aviation expert noted the inefficiency of Ukrainian leadership and stated that Moscow is the place where "the death of Koschei is hidden." Kasyanov concluded that "Moscow must be destroyed."

What Ukraine is Doing for Drone Production

At the same time, there is evidence that Ukrainian drones with explosives are reaching distant targets deep within Russian territory. One such incident occurred on January 6, when an explosion took place at an oil terminal in the city of Ust-Luga near St. Petersburg. To reach the military facility in the Russian Federation, drones covered nearly a thousand kilometers.

We remind you, the publication The Telegraph mentioned the name of the Ukrainian drone-rocket, which will soon be improved to reach Moscow.