As Ukrainian drone strikes continue against the Novorossiya highway and the Kerch ferry crossing, military analyst Alexey Leonkov has outlined how strategic routes linking the Crimean Peninsula with mainland Russia could be protected more effectively.

According to the analyst, Ukrainian fighters are systematically trying to disrupt this transport connection. One consequence of the strike on the ferry crossing was another temporary closure of traffic on the Crimean Bridge.

Leonkov said Volna, Kupol and Garant electronic warfare systems have already begun to be used to cover the highway. One such unit, he noted, can protect about 20 square kilometers. But the road running through the new territories is more than 400 kilometers long, meaning full protection would require several dozen systems.

At the same time, Leonkov stressed that electronic warfare alone cannot solve the problem. Kiev is receiving more advanced drones, including fiber-optic UAVs and aircraft with autonomous navigation. Conventional jamming systems are powerless against such targets.

The analyst added that most current counter-drone methods are essentially focused on dealing with the aftermath and bring only temporary results, since the enemy quickly changes tactics.

Leonkov described strikes on drone assembly sites as a more effective approach. In his view, it is easier to hit 500 facilities where UAVs are made than to shoot down 10,000 drones, since factories cannot move, while every incoming drone still has to be detected and intercepted.

He also said Ukrainian attacks targeting Russian, and now Belarusian, civilians are forcing Moscow to move toward tougher decisions.