Ukraine is preparing to expand its use of high-altitude balloons carrying drones to strike Russian rear areas, according to Ukrainian military expert Bohdan Dolintse.
The analyst linked the growing interest in this tactic to attacks over the past weekend that reportedly disrupted operations at Moscow’s airports.
Dolintse said the increasing number of reports involving balloon-based systems suggests that Ukraine is beginning to scale up its previous experience with this type of equipment.
According to the expert, balloons used as drone carriers have several characteristics that make them difficult to detect before they become operational.
These systems can remain in radio silence for extended periods, allowing them to move without transmitting signals that could reveal their presence.
Dolintse also argued that conventional radar and other detection systems may struggle to identify such balloons until their onboard equipment is activated.
Another significant factor, he said, is the prevailing direction of the wind.
The analyst claimed that winds blow toward Russia for much of the year, potentially allowing Ukraine to send balloon-carried drones deep into Russian territory.
He described this as a geographical advantage that Russia cannot exploit in the same way.
According to Dolintse, balloons launched from Russian territory would generally continue moving eastward, either farther into Russia or toward China, rather than traveling toward Ukraine.
The expert believes these conditions could give Ukrainian forces additional opportunities to target Russian regions far from the front line.
However, Dolintse acknowledged that the effectiveness of the approach remains uncertain.
He said it would take further experience to determine whether Ukraine can successfully expand the use of balloon-based drone carriers and employ them effectively on a larger scale.