russia launches drones closer to Kyiv to stretch Ukraine’s air defense – UK intelligence

To threaten the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, enemy forces began to launch Shahed-UAVs from the bryansk region in russia.

On February 27, Ukrainian defenders shot down 11 Shahed UAVs that were launched at night, British Defence Intelligence reports.

Serhii Popko, head of Kyiv City Military Administration, reported one of these was shot down in the vicinity of Kyiv airspace.

"Due to the vector of the attack, these Shahed-UAVs were highly likely launched from the bryansk region, russia. Previously, the only observed launch site since mid-December 2022 was from the Krasnodar region, near the Sea of Azov." the UK Intelligence updates.

Prior to this attack on February 26, there had been no reports of the use of UAVs in Ukraine since approximately February 15.

This decrease in the rate of UAV attacks probably indicates that russia has exhausted its current stockpile. Accordingly, it will probably look for replenishment.

"A second launch site would give the russians a different axis of attack, closer to Kyiv. This is likely to decrease time in the air over Ukraine and an attempt to further stretch Ukrainian air defences." the report says.