In the RBC-Ukraine podcast "TSE BAZA," co-founder of Contra-Drone Timofey Yurkov detailed one of the most discussed phenomena of Kyiv's air defense — the hours-long loitering of Iranian "Shahed" drones over forest areas on the city's outskirts. According to him, in most of these cases, the apparatus is not carrying out a combat mission or "waiting" for a target, but is in a state of total disorientation after losing connection with the operator and satellite networks. This mode, according to the expert, is a direct indicator of the effectiveness of electronic warfare (EW) systems.
Loitering as a Tactical EW Victory
Yurkov explained that "Shaheds" are programmed differently depending on the modification and scenario. When a drone simultaneously loses its communication channel with the operator and its link to satellites, it activates a built-in loitering algorithm—circling in a designated zone. The apparatus continues to maneuver until it restores contact with the satellite constellation or the "home" control center. For EW specialists, according to Yurkov, forcing a drone into this mode is a victory: the combat unit is effectively neutralized without the need for a physical intercept.
Disorientation and Weather Factors
The expert identified difficult meteorological conditions as a key factor provoking loitering. In bad weather, inertial navigation—a backup method for determining coordinates when satellite signals are lost—struggles. As a result, the drone may not understand which territory it is over—Ukraine, Russia, or even Poland. Yurkov emphasized that this combination of EW interference and unstable navigation leads to the apparatus "wandering" over the forest without a landmark or target.
Safe Crashes and the Issue of Detonation
The specialist also addressed the fate of the disoriented drone after it runs out of fuel. According to his data, in most such cases, the "Shahed" crashes relatively safely and does not detonate. Yurkov explained this by the logic of the built-in safety features: the detonator may not trigger because the device could be over Russian territory, risking "friendly fire." This is why, he says, the military monitors the number of such incidents and aims for as many "Shaheds" as possible to enter loitering mode and crash in unpopulated forest zones rather than over residential areas.
Debunking the 'Target Searching' Myth
Yurkov also commented on versions common in monitoring Telegram channels that a circling "Shahed" is "waiting for a partner" or purposefully hunting a target. The expert admitted that drones targeting moving objects can indeed hold position over a territory while transmitting camera footage to a control center. However, he clarified that in most cases of circling near Kyiv over forests, it is not about target wait-times, but about total disorientation of an apparatus that simply lacks the data to continue its route.
Context: The EW Dome Over Kyiv
These clarifications come at a time when, according to previously reported data, a special operation was completed over Kyiv to create a so-called "EW dome" that suppresses the mesh radio communication of jet "Shaheds." As Sergey "Flash" Beskrestnov, an advisor to the President on defense technologies, stated, this operation forced the enemy to pause, modernize drones, and seek alternative solutions. The expert assessments from Contra-Drone effectively confirm this picture: mass loitering and disorientation of apparatuses over the city are viewed as a direct result of the created electronic suppression contour.
