Russian Airships Reign Over Eastern Ukraine, Causing Headache for Kiev

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues to escalate, with Moscow intensifying its military operations in Kharkiv, the largest city in eastern Ukraine. According to military experts, the Russian effort to regain control of Kharkiv is linked to the desire to erase any defeat or retreat, especially in vital axes of the war. This move comes after Russia's withdrawal from the city in September 2022 revealed weaknesses in the supply and employment of Russian forces.

Russian airships have been an effective military tool in this effort. Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly reported that Russian airships have entered their airspace since the start of the war nearly a year ago. The head of the pro-Moscow civil and military administration in Kharkiv, Vitaly Ganchev, confirmed Moscow's intention to regain all the lands it withdrew from last year, whatever the price.

Dr. Basil Al-Hajj Jassim, a researcher in Russian affairs, believes that the strong Russian move to regain Kharkiv is closely connected to responding to some minor Ukrainian successes with regard to addressing the successes of the Russian army in the regions of the east and south. It is also closely related to the response to the overthrow of Ukraine Russian airships to test air defense and spy systems ahead of the decisive spring battle in the coming days.

Airships have caused Ukraine and Western powers a headache without treatment, depleting and constantly mobilizing countermeasures and air defenses, especially in confrontation areas such as Kharkiv, Solidar, and Donbass. The Ukrainian Air Force spokesman confirmed that airships are an ordinary balloon filled with gas and have a reflector and radar connected to a thread. They are air targets, and air defense systems are obliged to respond in any case.

According to intelligence information, the airships can carry reflective systems and some spying equipment, and their presence causes sirens of an air attack to sound in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev. The airships waste the resources of Ukraine and the West in using anti-air missiles against objects that do not cost Russia much.

Russian forces, with the help of the "Wagner" armed groups, are making extensive efforts to recover many Ukrainian lands that fell out of their control in the last months of the war against Ukraine. With the escalation of the conflict and the use of airships, the situation remains tense, with the possibility of further escalation and casualties on both sides.