Russian Drone Bases Enable Strikes on Warsaw — The Telegraph

Russia is increasing the strike range of its strike drones by deploying launch sites capable of reaching the capitals of NATO countries.

According to The Telegraph, the use of upgraded long-range drones allows Russia to keep Warsaw, the capital of Poland, under the threat of a direct strike.

The main threat to the Baltic states is the Shatalovo drone base in the Smolensk region, where the construction of new launch infrastructure has been observed.

The distance from Shatalovo to Vilnius is about 420 km, making the Lithuanian capital an easily accessible target for Russian drones.

The distance from the facility in the Smolensk Oblast to Riga, the capital of Latvia, is approximately 520 km.

Tallinn is also within the UAVs’ striking range, as the straight-line distance from Shatalovo to the Estonian capital is about 670 km.

In total, journalists identified 10 similar sites: Shatalovo, Tsymbulova, Navlya, Asovitsa/Ashelok, the Khalino airfield in Kursk, the Millerovo airfield, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Donetsk Airport, Cape Chauda, and Kacha.

At the identified locations, at least 59 new launch rails were discovered, around 20 of which feature an elongated design for long-range models.

The existing infrastructure enables it to concentrate and simultaneously launch hundreds of UAVs, and one of the bases has designated storage space for more than 1,000 units.

In addition, with mobile launchers mounted on pickup trucks or catapults equipped with rocket boosters, Russia can conduct launches from any location.

The use of such launchers from within the Kaliningrad region would put even Berlin, located 520 km away, within potential strike range.

After a month of active work, Russian troops fully equipped the Tsymbulova drone base and deployed 16 launchers there, designed for jet-powered UAVs.