The Russian army plans to expand the use of temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, in particular the Donetsk airport area, for drone attacks on our country.
Points of attention
- Russia is planning to use Donetsk airport as a launch pad for Shahed drones to attack Ukraine, increasing the threat to Ukrainian air defenses.
- The expansion of drone launch sites in occupied territories poses a threat not only to Ukraine but also to NATO member states.
- Satellite images show construction work and infrastructure preparation at Donetsk airport, indicating the Russians are gearing up to launch strike drones and possibly jet drones from the site.
Russia turns Donetsk airport into drone launch pad
According to ISW, placing launch pads for the Shahed closer to the front line will reduce the response time of Ukrainian air defenses.
According to analysts, further Russian territorial takeovers will pose an increasing threat to both Ukraine and NATO member states.
On the eve of the OSINT group CyberBoroshno presented satellite images of the airport in the north of occupied Donetsk from July 2025. The images show that the invaders have partially cleared the runway of the Donetsk airport of fortifications and have begun construction work on the parking lot.
Satellite images suggest that the Russians are building closed storage facilities near the destroyed airport terminal. They may also be preparing drone control points, warhead unloading areas, airspace surveillance points, and a runway.
It is likely that the infrastructure at the airport is being prepared for the launch of Shahed-type strike drones, Gerber-type simulator drones, and possibly Geran-3 jet drones.
ISW believes that moving launch pads for long-range drones closer to the front will reduce the time needed for Ukrainian air defense to respond.
Russian forces are launching long-range strike UAVs from occupied Ukrainian territory, and their continued use for such strikes will pose an increasing threat to Ukraine and NATO member states if Russia continues to occupy Ukrainian territory.
