UJ-22 Airborne drone: can Ukrainian drones reach Moscow, has it sent drones to Russia - range explained

Officials have said eight drones that were heading towards Moscow were stopped by Russian air defences on Tuesday (30 May) in an attack that Ukraine was given the blame for. The assault occurred as Russia launched its third attack on the Ukrainian city of Kyiv in 24 hours as part of its relentless bombardment.

According to the Russian defence ministry, three drones had their systems jammed, causing them to deviate from their intended course, and five drones were shot down. It called the incident a “terrorist attack” by the “Kyiv regime”.

Ukraine has denied any involvement in the attack, which would be one of its most audacious and daring forays into Russian territory since the Russian government began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than 15 months ago. The effectiveness of Russia's air defence systems have come under scrutiny in the wake of the attacks.

Numerous buildings sustained "insignificant damage" as a result of the attack, according to Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, who stated in a Telegram post that two people received medical attention for unidentified injuries but did not require hospitalisation. He added that two high-rise buildings damaged in the attack were also evacuated.

Has Ukraine flown drones into Russia?

According to reports, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly entered the interior airspace of Russia in the past. Russia claimed in December that it had destroyed drones at airfields in the Ryazan and Saratov regions. Three soldiers were also killed in the attack which was directed at a significant military airfield.

A Ukrainian drone had also earlier been reportedly shot down by Russia after it had targeted Sevastopol, the capital of the Crimean peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014.

What drones can Ukraine use?

Ukraine's UJ-22 Airborne drone has allegedly been used in many of the reported sightings and downings in Russian airspace, including the recent "attack" on Moscow.

Created by the Ukrainian company UKRJET, the UJ-22 Airborne boasts the potential to cover some not insignificant distances, and it's possible that one launched from Ukraine could in theory reach Moscow.

With a maximum flight range of 800km (500 miles), the military-designed drone is capable of undertaking extensive long-range missions. Considering Moscow is approximately 600km (375 miles) away from the Ukrainian border, utilising the drone for such a purpose is certainly plausible.

But the drones are primarily employed for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and artillery spotting missions rather than direct strikes. They are not particularly fast and would require modifications and retrofitting to serve a more combat-focused purpose more effectively.

In terms of armament, the drone has the capacity to carry up to four 82 mm mortar mines or four RPG-7 grenades, with a maximum payload of around 20kg. In the grand scheme of global conflict, that is not a lot of firepower at all. But while the physical harm inflicted by such a drone would be minimal, the psychological impact is perhaps more important.

If Ukraine is indeed behind the attack, using such a drone gives Kyiv a way to create a bang and get Russia's attention, while limiting the possibility of civilian casualties and deaths. It could serve as a way of reminding the Russian people - hidden behind a state-controlled media blanket - that the conflict remains ongoing on their doorstep.

However, the West, and particularly Ukraine's Nato allies, will be watching with baited breath. One of the pre-requisits of the mass shipments of weapons to the country from the likes of the US, the UK and Germany has been that Ukraine not point them towards Russia itself.

If Ukraine were to launch an attack on Russia using western weaponry and kill a civilian or official, the Kremlin could use that as justification for an escalation in the conflict, potentially drawing in more world players.

Could it be a 'false flag' operation?

Of course, the use of UJ-22's in the attack on Moscow has not been confirmed, and it's possible another type of drone could be in play: the Chinese Mugin-5.

According to Samuel Bendett, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security in Washington DC, who spoke with Reuters, the characteristics observed in the attack videos do match those of the Mugin-5.

Those drones - which also have a range of several hundred kilometres and have been utilised in previous incidents - can be relatively easily purchased online and potentially repurposed for military use. This Mugin-5 is often colloquially referred to as the "Alibaba drone" due to its availability on the popular online platform.

Professor Baker commented on the situation, stating, "As far as I know, there are no export markets for the UJ-22. Therefore, if evidence points to the use of that drone in the attack, it would strongly implicate Ukraine." But he also mentioned that if Russia intended to carry out a false flag operation using a Mugin-5 drone, "that would indeed be quite feasible."