Journalists reveal training site in Russia for Shahed UAV erators

This was reported by Radio Liberty’s Donbas.Realii project, according to Ukrinform.

Donbas.Realii found the likely location of the test site, set up approximately 8 km southeast of the State Center for Unmanned Aviation of the Russian Defense Ministry in Komna.

Earlier, Ukrainian investigators established that Russia had deployed its UAV erators to Iran for training under the guise of international competitions. It is about four Russian sdiers who in August took part in the Falconry UAV erator competition in Iran. Immediately after that, attacks by Iranian kamikaze drones on Ukrainian cities began. All tros identified in the probe serve in the 924th State Center of Unmanned Aviation.

Read also: Iran will cross 'red line' with supplies of missiles to Russia – Kuleba

Unit 20924, based in Komna, is the only one in the system of the Ministry of Defense that trains drone erators. However, the drones are flown at other locations.

The international army games  in 2019 and 2021 were held at the training ground of the Komna Center. In 2019, the Russian Ministry of Defense published photos from the competition.

Russian sdiers stand in the background of this building:

Next to the site is a large training ground, which used to belong to the Komna Higher Artillery Scho. Likely, the training ground is also used for UAV flights.

The place where the competitions were held is marked in red, and to the left of it is the training ground

Since the instructors of this particular cCnter were trained in Iran, it can be assumed that Shahed erators are also trained here.

The distance from the training ground to Moscow is about 100 km. The border of Ukraine is about 600 km away, noted Donbas.Realii.

Read also: Skibitsky: Russia used about 660 Shahed drones, expects new batch of up to 300 units

As reported by Ukrinform, referring to Vadym Skibitskyi, a Ukrainian defense intelligence spokesman, Russia has already launched at Ukraine nearly 660 Shahed drones of the 1,750 units stipulated in the contract with Iran. Currently, Russia is expecting a new batch.

Photo from radiosvoboda.org