Ukrainian drones paralyze major Russian airports in a bold strike

- These attacks have no military objective. They are meant to "bring" ordinary Russians closer to the war, to make them realize that they are not safe and that Putin will not protect them - comments Konrad Muzyka, military expert, on the kamikaze drone attacks deep in Russia.

Russia's airports are paralyzed. Due to the massive attack by Ukrainian drones, Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky airports halted all takeoffs and landings. Debris from a shot-down Ukrainian drone reportedly fell on the Zhukovsky airport tarmac.

Drones were also sent towards the capital. The Russian side reported that at least 20 Ukrainian drones were used in the attack on Moscow. One of the fragments fell on a residential building in Ramenskoye, about 31 miles from the center of Moscow.

- These attacks have no military objective. They are primarily meant to "bring" ordinary Russians closer to the war, to make them realize that they are not safe and that Putin will not protect them - says Konrad Muzyka, a military expert and head of Rochan Consulting, about the nighttime operation.

The strike was carried out with kamikaze drones, long-range drones of Ukrainian production. More than 140 such drones were used, he adds. He recalls that Ukrainians announced they would produce a million drones this year.

The expert emphasizes that successful missions using this weapon on the aggressor's territory expose Russian shortcomings. Ukrainian machines can fly hundreds, even thousands, of miles, indicating that Russia's air defense is porous.

- Russians have too few defense systems to destroy such simple targets as drones that fly slowly and low. Shooting them down should not be a problem, but Russians do not have enough equipment to cover the whole territory, especially the approaches to the largest cities. The blanket is too short - comments Konrad Muzyka.

Ukrainian operations are silently approved of by Western partners. Our interlocutor believes that allies have no influence on Kyiv's actions, especially since Ukraine uses domestically produced equipment in these actions.

- As long as Ukrainians do not use American weapons and do not attack purely civilian targets, the United States will likely not criticize Ukraine, and if they do, it will be behind closed doors, not in the pages of "The New York Times" or "Washington Post" - believes Muzyka.

However, I assume that a large part of the attacks are coordinated with foreign partners. Ukrainians must have external help in planning flight routes that allow them to bypass air defenses in certain locations, adds the analyst.

In recent weeks, the intensity of Ukrainian operations on Russian territory has increased significantly. At the beginning of September, the local general staff reported successful attacks on an oil depot in Rostov Oblast, Kirov Oblast, and on an artillery depot in Voronezh Oblast, about 249 miles from Moscow. Drones attacked near the Konakovo power plant in Tver Oblast, one of the largest energy producers in central Russia, and at the Moscow Oil Refinery.

Konrad Muzyka, a military expert and head of Rochan Consulting, assesses that these actions are mainly propaganda. The strategic significance, however, may lie in using long-range missiles, which President Volodymyr Zelensky recently announced. These include cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.

- If they are used and, above all, built in sufficient quantities, they can indeed impact the calming of the frontline situation, as attacks on airports and the destruction of Russian aircraft should slow down the pace of strikes on Ukraine.