Page 36 - bneIntelliNews monthly country report Russia May 2024

one of Russia’s most expensive strike drones, the Forpost, worth $7M. Meanwhile, CNN drew attention that the attacks by Ukrainian drones on the Russian oil and gas industry became possible thanks to an increased flight range and the use of AI to enable onboard navigation capabilities and target identification. These drones are completely autonomous once launched and do not require satellite communication to reach their targets. Information about Ukraine’s recent development of long-range drones was confirmed by the Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov.
Russia's largest tank offensive has failed at the start of April, and now can launch a large-scale attack in only one direction. Russia attempted the largest tank assault since the beginning of the invasion but has been defeated by Ukraine’s military. On March 30, the Russian Federation sought to break through Ukrainian positions in the Avdiivka area with the help of 36 tanks and 12 BMPs. However, the 25th brigade of the Armed Forces detected a large convoy of 48 vehicles and attacked it, destroying 12 tanks and 8 BMPs. This indicates two contradictory trends: the Russian Federation has resumed using armored vehicles in the Avdiivka direction, and the Ukrainian army is still able to organise a tough defence despite its lack of ammunition. According to Forbes, such tactics "will continue to shape the battlefield" even after a new batch of ammunition arrives in Ukraine. Meanwhile, ISW experts believe that the Russian army will not be able to support offensive actions in more than one direction, which could be the western Donetsk region, in particular the Avdiivka area.
In 2024, the Russian Federation seised about 305 square kilometres of Ukraine's territory. The Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu, said that since the beginning of 2024, the invaders have captured about 400 square kilometres of Ukraine's territory. However, ISW analysts emphasise that they found visual confirmations for only 305 square kilometres captured from January 1 to April 1.
Russian soldier charged for voluntary surrender for first time since mobilisation introduced. There are few details known about the case, Mediazona reported, and the circumstances of his alleged surrender were not clarified. The soldier was also charged with desertion, the court file said.
Swedish Navy chief says Russian 'shadow fleet' of oil tankers possibly conducting espionage in Baltic Sea. Swedish Navy chief Ewa Skoog Haslum said some of the ships from the shadow fleet have been found to possess communications and signals equipment not usually associated with cargo vessels, leading to concerns they could be used in "hybrid operations."
● Weapons
Russia is producing weapons at a record pace, and Ukraine’s partners
36 RUSSIA Country Report May 2024 www.intellinews.com