Balloons likely represent new tactic by Russia – British intelligence
This is said in a British intelligence update published by the UK Ministry of Defense on Twitter, Ukrinform reports.
According to the ministry, on February 15, 2023, the Armed Forces of Ukraine spotted several balloons with radar reflectors suspended beneath them over Kyiv. Ukrainian officials reported that they shot down at least six of these.
It is noted that earlier, on 12 February 2023, Ukraine’s Air Force reported sighting balloons over Dnipropetrovsk region. On February 14, 2023, sighting of a ‘balloon shaped’ object led to the closure of Moldovan airspace for several hours.
“It is likely that the balloons were Russian. They likely represent a new tactic by Russia to gain information about Ukrainian air defence systems and compel the Ukrainians to expend valuable stocks of surface to air missiles and ammunition,” the report says.
In the previous British intelligence update, the British Ministry of Defence said that it is becoming increasingly difficult for the Kremlin to insulate the population from the war in Ukraine.
