Unmanned aerial vehicles operated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine that struck the Komi Republic may have been launched from Ukrainian territory, military analyst Vasily Dandykin told NEWS.ru. At the same time, he did not rule out a less likely alternative — that the drones were deployed by sleeper cells operating inside Russia.

According to Dandykin, Ukraine possesses drones capable of flying between 1,000 and 1,500 kilometers. He suggested the attack could have been demonstrative in nature, intended to signal the ability to reach virtually any region. He also pointed out that such incidents are typically followed by heavier retaliatory strikes from the Russian military.

Dandykin said he doubted the drones that targeted Ukhta had been launched from Estonia or Finland, arguing that Ukraine was the more plausible point of origin. However, he noted that a flight from Ukrainian territory would likely have taken six to seven hours. As another, though less probable, scenario, he mentioned the possibility that sleeper cells within Russia carried out the launch, emphasizing that in modern conditions a drone can be assembled even at home.

Earlier, the regional branch of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in the Komi Republic reported that Ukrainian UAVs had attacked Ukhta. Emergency services are working at the scene, the agency said. Russia’s Ministry of Defense has not yet commented on the incident.