Ukrainian drones that attacked Sterlitamak in Bashkiria may have been launched from third countries, according to military analyst and retired special forces colonel Anatoly Matviychuk.

The expert raised the possibility while discussing the strike on the Russian city, located approximately 1,400 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

Matviychuk suggested that Ukrainian forces could have used so-called gray zones outside Ukraine to launch the unmanned aerial vehicles. However, he did not rule out another scenario in which the drones traveled toward Bashkiria from the Chernigov or Kharkov regions.

The retired colonel also argued that such operations are designed to overwhelm Russian air defense systems by forcing them to respond to large numbers of aerial targets simultaneously.

According to Matviychuk, drones launched from Ukrainian territory are intended to overload air defenses, simulate large-scale raids and divert attention. He claimed that additional launches could take place from gray zones in other countries, while the Chernigov and Kharkov regions remain potential departure points for attacks.

Earlier, Sterlitamak Mayor Emil Shaimardanov reported that Russian air defense forces had destroyed eight aerial targets over the city on October 29.

Debris from one of the intercepted drones caused minor damage to a local industrial facility. However, the incident did not require production to be suspended.

According to the mayor, the plant continues to operate normally despite the damage.