Russia's war strategy shifts beyond the battlefield and into the skies over Ukraine

The Geran-2 – Russia's version of the Iranian Shahed drone – has had a persistent and threatening presence in the skies over Ukraine since the war began in 2022.

Earlier this week, the capital Kyiv came under yet another missile bombardment – the second deadliest attack this year – which claimed the lives of at least 13 people and injured dozens more.

After years of air raid sirens, disrupted sleep and drone attacks, you can see that Ukrainians are tired, said BFBS Forces News Reporter Simon Newton, who recently visited the country. 

• City under fire: Seeing the results first-hand as Russia attacks Ukraine's cultural identity
• Russia launches massive attack on Kyiv, killing at least 13 people in 2026's second-deadliest strike
• Rare access inside Ukraine to UK's Raven air defence system dubbed FrankenSAM

The Shahed drone has in some ways become a symbol of a broader Russian strategy, one which forces Ukraine to constantly defend itself, night after night, using expensive air defence systems like Patriot. 

In our video above, BFBS Forces News takes a look at a Russian tactic that is no longer confined solely to the battlefield.