The Daily – Inside Ukraine’s Drone Attacks on Russia

Intro

In this episode of “The Daily,” the New York Times explores Ukraine’s secret drone program and its impact on Russia. Unverified footage of drones exploding above the Kremlin has sparked speculation about the source of the attacks. Christian Trebert, a member of the New York Times’ visual investigations team, received a text message from a contact involved in Ukraine’s homegrown drone program. This program involves multiple entities within and outside the Ukrainian government, as well as private individuals. The use of drones in this conflict raises questions about the future of warfare and the role of technology in modern conflicts.

Main Takeaways

Ukraine’s Secret Drone Program

• Ukraine has a secret drone program that is hitting targets deep inside Russian territory.
• Unverified footage showed two drones exploding above the Kremlin, leading to speculation about who was responsible for the attack.
• The drone program involves multiple entities within and outside the Ukrainian government as well as private individuals.
• Ukraine has developed a long-range, one-use drone that explodes on target, similar to a kamikaze.
• Few countries have this technology due to the difficulty of building a drone that can fly for hundreds of miles and navigate through air defenses and electronic warfare.

Ukraine’s Motivations and Challenges

• Ukraine began developing this technology after Russia hit Kiev with kamikaze drones bought from Iran.
• Western nations are not willing to give Ukraine these weapons due to fears of Ukraine striking Moscow and prompting nuclear retaliation.
• The number of drone attacks on Moscow has doubled in the past three months alone, and Ukraine is reaching a point where they can reach Moscow.
• Drones have hit military targets, such as cargo aircraft, and infrastructure, like oil depots, which could affect Russia’s military logistics.
• Russia needs to make strategic decisions on where to deploy their air defenses, which could affect the battlefield in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Drone Development and Funding

• Ukraine has multiple groups developing drones, including government agencies and private individuals/companies.
• Lack of communication and coordination between these groups.
• Need for increased production capacity to continuously hit Russia.
• Funding for the program is mostly coming from volunteer fundraisers, social media influencers, and comics.
• Main question is whether they can ramp up production capacity, which is mostly a question of money.

Impact on Russian Society

• Instilling fear in Russian civilians and elites may create some change around people that are closer to Putin.
• Long-range drones are being used to destroy infrastructure and military objects, not people.
• The objective is to reach deep inside Russia with the war effort and possibly awaken them to the war.
• Two can play this game and the drones are sending a message to Russian society.
• The drones that were funded have hit their targets and are working effectively.

Summary

Ukraine’s Secret Drone Program and Its Impact on Russia

Ukraine has developed a secret drone program that is successfully hitting targets deep inside Russian territory. The program involves multiple entities within and outside the Ukrainian government, as well as private individuals. Ukraine’s motivation to develop this technology stems from Russia’s use of kamikaze drones bought from Iran to attack Kiev. Western nations are hesitant to provide Ukraine with these weapons due to fears of potential nuclear retaliation. The number of drone attacks on Moscow has increased, raising concerns for Russia’s military logistics and air defense strategies. Ukraine’s drone development and funding face challenges such as lack of coordination and the need for increased production capacity. However, the program has managed to raise funds through volunteer fundraisers, social media influencers, and comics. The impact of the drone attacks goes beyond military targets, aiming to instill fear in Russian society and potentially awaken them to the ongoing conflict. The drones have effectively hit their targets, sending a message to Russian society.

Conclusion

Ukraine’s secret drone program poses a significant challenge to Russia’s security and military operations. The use of drones in this conflict raises questions about the future of warfare and the role of technology in modern conflicts. As Ukraine continues to develop and deploy drones, the situation in the region remains tense, with potential implications for the broader geopolitical landscape.