The Russian Chief of Staff has communicated the results of the analysis of the three drones which tried to attack the air base of Hmeimim and which were forced to land [1].

– these drones cannot be manufactured locally. Accordingly, they must be imported.

– the use of these drones requires an appropriate training. It follows that either those providing the drones came to train the jihadists or the jihadists went abroad to be trained.

– the artisanal bombs that the drones were equipped with weighed about 400 grams. They have been conceived on the basis of quaternary nitrate and blocks of metal. This explosive is not produced locally. Several states produce it. One of these is Ukraine.

– the coordinates of the programme for controlling these drones are more precise than those that can be obtained from open sources. Therefore the jihadists had access to air or satellite intelligence.

Translation
Anoosha Boralessa

[1] “The first: attacks using groups of drones on the battlefield”, by Thierry Meyssan, Translation Anoosha Boralessa, Voltaire Network, 10 January 2018.