Putin Utilizing China Playbook? Ukraine Downs Russian Spy Balloons

A day after a Chinese language knowledgeable warned that Vladimir Putin may very well be concerned in spy balloons noticed over the U.S. final week, Ukraine stated it shot down six Russian balloons over Kyiv. 

What Occurred: The Ukrainian navy stated the balloons have been noticed over the capital and have been shot down after being engaged by air defenses on Wednesday, reported Reuters. 

Ukraine stated the balloons may need been carrying nook reflectors and reconnaissance gear. “In response to data that’s now being clarified, these have been balloons that transfer within the air beneath the propulsion of wind,” the navy administration wrote on Telegram.

“The aim of launching the balloons was [to] presumably detect and exhaust our air defenses.”

See Additionally: US Recovers Key Sensors From Chinese language Spy Balloon Downed By Navy

Shortly earlier than the navy’s announcement, the war-torn nation’s air power spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat stated Moscow may very well be utilizing balloons in a brand new drive to protect its shares of reconnaissance drones.

“Reconnaissance drones just like the Orlan-10 are actually getting used extra sparingly (by Russia), they usually thought, ‘Why don’t we use these balloons?’ So they’re utilizing them,” Ihnat instructed Ukrainian tv.

“The enemy needs us to make use of our air defenses, which defend our strategic objects, on these balloons, which value nothing,” he stated.

On Tuesday, an knowledgeable on China warned that Russia may very well be linked to Beijing’s spy balloon. Gatestone Institute Senior Fellow Gordon Chang stated, “the objects that have been shot down on Friday and Saturday entered North American airspace from the North, which implies that they in all probability handed over Russia.”

Chang steered three prospects, together with that the balloon may maybe be a “Russian object.”

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