“Шахеди” збивають над головами українців - чи є вихід?

Summary

On January 24, 2024, Odesa, Ukraine, came under attack by enemy drones, specifically Shaheds, amidst an ongoing conflict. The city's air defense forces managed to shoot down 11 drones, but debris from some struck residential buildings, and three drones hit their targets. Amidst the chaos, Mariia Melnyk, a resident of Odesa originally from Kherson, recounts her terrifying experience of hiding in her apartment and praying for safety as drones flew perilously close. The incident raises questions about the adequacy of Ukraine's air defense capabilities. Aviation expert and electronic warfare developer Anatoliy Khrapchynsky explains the challenges of defending against drone attacks and the efforts to enhance air defense and electronic warfare techniques to mitigate such threats more effectively.

Takeaways

• 😀 On Jan 24, Odesa was under attack from Iranian drones. Air defenses shot down 11 drones but some debris hit residential buildings.
• 😟 A young woman hid in her apartment corridor during the attack. She prayed no one would get hurt.
• 😨 An explosion was heard as a piece of a drone hit her building's first floor.
• 😠 People questioned why drones were being shot down over residential areas.
• 🤔 Ukraine lacks enough air defenses to fully protect cities from drones.
• 😊 Ukraine built an integrated air defense system and used electronic warfare, but more is needed.
• 🤨 Drones often get shot down on city outskirts, but large debris can still hit deeper inside.
• 😏 The farther into a drone is hit, the smaller the debris. But wings and whole drones sometimes crash deeper.
• 🧐 Solutions: Increase air defenses, use electronic warfare to land drones safely, or turn drones around.
• 😎 Experts are working on turning drones back to Russia rather than letting them hit targets.

Q & A

What happened in Odesa on January 24, 2024?

Odesa was under attack from enemy drones called 'shaheds'. 11 drones were shot down by air defense forces, but debris from some struck residential buildings, and 3 shaheds reached their targets.

How did Maria Melnik, a resident of Odesa, react during the attack?

Maria took shelter in the corridor of her apartment, praying that the drones would not harm anyone. She had heard the shaheds flying overhead before, but this time they seemed dangerously close.

What damage was caused by the shahed strike?

A piece of a shahed drone flew into the first floor of an apartment building where Maria was located. There was no explosion or fire, but residents were shocked at how it penetrated so far into the city.

Why are drones often shot down near but not over cities?

Ukraine lacks enough air defense systems to cover every meter of territory. Systems focus on protecting major cities and likely drone routes, but gaps remain where shaheds can penetrate further.

What causes shahed debris to fly deep into cities after being hit?

It depends on what part of the drone is damaged. If a wing breaks off, it can glide a long way by inertia before crashing. Damaged drones have also been known to land intact in fields far from being shot down.

How can Ukraine improve protection against drone strikes?

By increasing air defense capabilities and developing electronic warfare systems to safely force drones to crash in open fields before reaching cities.

Is it possible to turn drones around in mid-air?

It is technically challenging, but Ukrainian experts are working on hacking drone navigation to make them turn back to Russia instead of reaching their targets.

Why do air defense forces allow shaheds to penetrate cities if they know the routes?

Ukraine lacks enough systems to cover full cities. Mobile fire groups monitor likely routes but gaps remain where shaheds can slip through, especially at slow speeds.

Could capturing drones instead of shooting them down be an alternative?

Yes, hacking their navigation to force intact landings in fields could allow their systems to be reused against Russia instead of destroyed.

What long-term air defense improvements could prevent such attacks?

Increasing the number of defense systems to achieve fuller coverage and continuing to build an integrated network combining electronic warfare and fire coordination.