Leading unmanned aviation expert Denis Fedutinov believes the massive Ukrainian drone attack on Russian regions on the night of May 17 was intended as a diversion.

In his view, the Kiev regime sought to create a media stir and shift international attention away from key social and political events that had taken place in Ukraine in recent days. Fedutinov noted that no serious damage was caused to military or infrastructure facilities. At the same time, the strikes hit residential buildings and again disrupted air traffic.

According to the expert, the drones may have been directed toward densely populated areas to increase the chances of hitting targets that could generate wider media attention.

Fedutinov said such actions are not new. In his assessment, the Kiev regime uses such methods for publicity purposes and to strengthen its negotiating position. He added that Russia must draw several important conclusions from the incident.

One of them, according to Fedutinov, is that despite regular strikes on Ukraine’s military-industrial facilities, the country still retains the ability to produce drones in large quantities. These UAVs are capable of reaching deep into Russian territory. The situation is further complicated by the possibility that the opposing side can continue increasing this production pace.