**Russia’s Aerial Attacks on Ukraine: The Cost of Destruction**
In a series of coordinated aerial attacks, Russia launched nearly 1,000 drones and missiles at villages and cities across Ukraine over the weekend. The assault, which lasted three nights, resulted in the deaths of over a dozen people and left dozens more injured.
**A Heavy Price to Pay**
While the exact cost of such an attack is difficult to estimate, experts believe it runs into hundreds of thousands of dollars. Angelica Evans, a Russia analyst with the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), says that Russia’s efforts to keep the true cost of its military hardware secret make it challenging to provide an accurate figure.
“The cost of these large strikes is quite difficult to estimate in the open-source because Russia goes to great lengths to obfuscate the cost of the missiles and drones,” Evans explained. “Particularly with the onset of western sanctions and Russia’s many sanctions evasion schemes, it’s difficult to know how much all of the various components in the projectiles really cost, let alone the cost of production itself.”
**The Price Tag on Specific Weapons**
According to Ukraine’s Air Force, the weekend attack used Shahed drones, decoy drones, three types of cruise missiles, and Iskander-M and KN-23 ballistic missiles. The use of Shahed kamikaze drones and decoys has raised questions about the cost of these particular weapons.
Some experts estimate that a Shahed drone produced in Russia costs around $50,000 to $20,000, while others have suggested prices ranging from $193,000 to $290,000 per unit. Hacked documents between Russia and Iran reveal that Russia negotiated prices for Iranian-made Shaheds earlier in the war in the range of $193,000 to $290,000.
**Decoy Drones: The Low-Cost Alternative**
The use of decoy drones adds another layer of complexity to calculating the cost of the attack. Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Service believes the most expensive part of a decoy drone is its engine, which can be bought online for around $350-$500. A complete decoy is likely to cost in the low thousands range.
**Stockpiling for Rarer But More Intense Strikes**
Analysts believe that Russia may be stockpiling missiles and drones to carry out rarer but more intense strikes like the one witnessed over the weekend. This suggests that the costs of such an attack could be even higher than initially estimated.
**Conclusion**
While it’s difficult to put a precise price tag on Russia’s aerial attacks on Ukraine, experts agree that the true cost is much higher than what’s publicly known. As the conflict continues, understanding the economic implications of these strikes becomes increasingly important.
**What We’re Reading**
At the Kyiv Independent, we believe in keeping you informed about the latest developments from Ukraine. Join our community today and help us reach 20,000 members!
Read More @ kyivindependent.com
