Ukraine Creates Diversion Network Inside Russia and Supplies Drones for Attacks: CNN

Ukraine has established a network of agents and supporters within Russia to carry out diversionary operations against Russian targets and has begun supplying them with drones for attacks, CNN reports, citing sources close to U.S. intelligence services.

U.S. officials believe these pro-Ukrainian agents were responsible for the drone attack on the Kremlin in May, launching unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from within Russia instead of organizing their flight from Ukraine to Moscow.

It remains unclear whether other recent drone attacks, including the targeting of a residential area near Moscow and attacks on oil refineries in southern Russia, were also initiated from inside Russia or carried out by pro-Ukrainian agents. However, U.S. officials think Ukraine has formed diversionary groups within Russia, composed of supporters and agents well-trained to execute such operations.

There are suspicions that Ukraine has also supplied these agents with domestically produced drones, and two U.S. officials told CNN that there is no evidence of the use of drones supplied by the United States in the attacks.

Officials have been unable to specify how Ukraine has managed to smuggle drones behind enemy lines, but according to two sources, the country has created well-organized smuggling routes to transport drones or drone parts into Russia, where they are then assembled.