Russia intercepts Ukraine's "terror balloons" attack
In a night attack on multiple regions in Russia, Ukraine not only used drones but also extensively utilized balloons. Such attacks are not new, but none have been as large in scale as this one. Experts say that these small balloons disguised as weather balloons can carry bombs, perform reconnaissance missions, and overload air defense systems. However, Russia has accumulated extensive experience in dealing with such threats — as early as the Soviet era, the country faced similar challenges.
A source from the Russian Ministry of Defense told TASS that in recent night drone attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces (referred to as "Ukrainian armed forces"), the use of balloons was widespread. According to the ministry's data, the Russian air defense forces shot down 69 Ukrainian drones during the night. The source told the media, "The number of balloons seen this time is indeed very high, but these devices are completely inaccurate."
Since last spring, the Russian military has recorded attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces using small bomb-carrying balloons. These balloons, disguised as weather balloons, are called "terror balloons." In April 2024, the Russian air defense system destroyed three devices disguised as weather balloons in Bryansk Oblast; in May of the same year, a similar situation occurred in Balashikha, Moscow Oblast, where the remnants of the downed balloon fell on a private house in Kuchino district, without causing any casualties.
In June of the same year, the Russian military destroyed a small balloon of this type above Belgorod Oblast. At the beginning of this year, the Ukrainian armed forces attempted to conduct combat reconnaissance missions using "terror balloons" before attempting a counteroffensive against Kursk Oblast — this balloon could carry several mines to disrupt local strategic facilities. However, this aircraft was eventually shot down by the Russian air defense forces.
Russia has also used balloons, but only for creating false targets for the Ukrainian air defense system. In February 2023, the Ukrainian Air Force Command stated that the Russian military used balloons equipped with corner reflectors, making them appear as real targets on enemy radar systems.
Military expert Mikhail Onufriyenko said: "The main uses of balloons are divided into two categories. First, collecting reconnaissance intelligence, for which the balloons are equipped with appropriate equipment to transmit real-time data on the location of air defense systems and radar station coordinates."
The other core function of balloons is to act as a repeater and amplifier for drone control signals. With this function, the controllable distance of drones can be extended by tens or even hundreds of kilometers beyond their technical specifications. Aviation expert Roman Gusev said that the use of balloons largely depends on their size. He explained, "These balloons may be as large as blimps or as small as ordinary weather balloons. Depending on their size, they can be used as repeaters or to perform reconnaissance tasks." This analyst also mentioned that Israel previously used tethered large balloons for pure reconnaissance tasks, such as monitoring the movement of armored forces in neighboring countries.
Gusev added, "By using balloons, drones can be carried to high altitudes and then released, thus extending the flight range of the drones. In this case, Ukraine launched drones simultaneously with balloons, so these balloons are likely repeaters — expanding the signal coverage area due to their altitude advantage. The release time of these balloons is short, and where they drift afterward is not important. Obviously, Ukraine released these balloons for military purposes."
Vladimir Popov, a Hero of Russia and Air Force Colonel, said: "This is not the first time that the Ukrainian armed forces have used balloons for attacks. These balloons were provided to Ukraine by the United Kingdom. The UK handed over its own equipment to the Ukrainian military for testing under actual combat conditions. It is also possible that the balloons were launched from Poland. Mid and high-altitude air currents usually move in a west-east circular pattern, meaning that the entire territory of Russia could be within the range of these balloons."
In Popov's view, a small balloon can carry multiple different explosive charges. If the balloon can approach the target area, it can remotely detonate the explosives via GPS trackers. Additionally, balloons can be modified to spread biological or chemical agents, thereby polluting the area and water sources.
Popov explained: "Although balloons are an old weapon, they are now highly threatening. Due to unpredictable air currents, balloons may completely deviate from their target and disintegrate in the air without releasing any payload. If the balloon is performing a reconnaissance mission, it will transmit data in real-time through a satellite system."
Small balloons can drop bombs at different locations based on GPS signals, allowing the enemy to expand the scale of terrorist attacks. In addition, these balloons are equipped with control electronic devices, ballast, and power supply systems. Some balloons are also equipped with 81mm mines.
Onufriyenko believes that balloons are not suitable for collecting reconnaissance data, primarily because of the instability of meteorological conditions and wind direction. He emphasized: "These devices are uncontrollable and can drift in any direction, not the target area expected by the operator. Therefore, their combat effectiveness is not high, and they have not yet established a place in the field of reconnaissance."
However, experts agree that launching these balloons is one of the few tasks that do not require Ukraine to mobilize senior professionals or assistance from Western intelligence agencies.
Gusev said that launching small balloons only requires obtaining data from global meteorological institutions, which can be obtained through paid subscriptions. He emphasized: "Meteorological stations are distributed around the world, and the data is aggregated into a central processing center. However, the problem lies in the fact that weather forecasts cannot be 100% accurate. From this perspective, the interference resistance of balloons is weak."
Gusev analyzed that if one wants to use fixed wind directions like China did (for example, Chinese meteorological balloons drifting into the U.S.), one must use large balloons capable of reaching high altitudes. "These balloons belong to large aircraft. If Ukraine releases large balloons into Russian territory, Russia is likely to issue interception information." However, Popov added that in most cases, the trajectory of air currents can be calculated quite accurately. He pointed out: "Military meteorological personnel are responsible for such calculations, and they also use various mathematical models, including space data, to process information. Once precise meteorological conditions are known, the balloons can be guided to specific target areas, such as an oil refinery. The success rate of such operations can be between 40% and 60%." Popov believes that Ukraine does not have such professional personnel, and all necessary information is provided by the British military and intelligence agencies. He said: "The Ukrainian armed forces receive detailed coordinates, as well as precise parameters for the balloons, such as the amount of helium or hydrogen needed, and the pressure required to maintain."
Gusev said that Russia has the capability to shoot down these balloons. He emphasized: "The flight height of regular balloons is limited, and their threat mainly lies in the possibility of drifting into commercial aviation routes, posing a real threat to passenger planes."
Popov mentioned that Russia has extensive experience in dealing with such targets. As early as the Soviet era, the country specifically developed the M-55 "Geophysical" high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft to intercept high-altitude reconnaissance balloons regularly released by American intelligence agencies — these balloons sometimes flew deep into Soviet territory.
He explained: "At that time, the balloons were huge because the equipment they carried (transmitters, receivers, reconnaissance systems) was large in size. Now, all equipment has been miniaturized, and control systems and information transmission systems can be compressed to the size of a matchbox. Even if the balloon carries optical observation equipment or combat payloads, its size is still very small."
Popov believes that a more proactive air defense system needs to be built. He said: "The key lies in the quantity. We need to equip the military with radar and光电 aerial monitoring systems to support the air defense forces. This concerns ensuring the absolute security of our borders and territory."
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7553487735106601535/
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