Flash: Russia explores capabilities for strikes on Ukraine's western regions

Russian occupation forces have been conducting tests of their capabilities to strike western Ukraine from the temporarily occupied Crimea, according to presidential advisor Serhiy Beskrestnov. The tests involved launching several dozen jet-powered Geran-4 drones from Crimea, which managed to reach a distance of up to 880 kilometres in western Ukraine.

The maximum flight range of the Geran-4 turned out to be slightly greater than anticipated, as reported by Serhiy on Facebook. The route of the enemy drones was traced from Crimea through Odesa and along the border with Moldova. Among the drones that reached their targets, four jet drones successfully reached Lviv, covering a distance of 820 kilometres, while several others managed to reach Lutsk at a distance of 880 kilometres from the launch site.

To achieve such ranges, the Geran-4 devices maintained an altitude of 5-6 kilometres and an average speed of 320-380 kilometres per hour. Serhiy suggests that the Russian military might have reduced the drone's warhead weight to increase its flight range.