--- title: "Why 'Shaheds' Circle Over Kyiv: EW Specialist Explains Loitering and Drone Disorientation" description: "Contra-Drone co-founder Timofey Yurkov explains that 'Shahed' drones circling over Kyiv are not searching for targets, but are in a state of disorientation after losing connectivity." date: 2026-11-12T11:20:24.745Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/why-shaheds-circle-over-kyiv-ew-loitering tags: [shahed-drones, electronic-warfare, kyiv, contra-drone, ew-dome] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Why 'Shaheds' Circle Over Kyiv: EW Specialist Explains Loitering and Drone Disorientation ![Timofey Yurkov from Contra-Drone on the RBC-Ukraine podcast discussing EW against drones](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/12/pochemu-shahedy-kruzyat-nad-kievom-reb-loitering/pochemu-shahedy-kruzyat-nad-kievom-reb-loitering-1.webp) ## Key Points - 'Shaheds' that lose communication enter a loitering mode until contact is restored. - Most circling incidents near Kyiv are due to total disorientation, not target searching. - Drones often crash safely without detonating because the firing mechanism remains inactive. - An EW dome over Kyiv suppresses jet 'Shahed' radio communication. 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. ## Accounts differ ### Reason for 'Shahed' loitering over forests near Kyiv - **Monitoring Telegram channels:** The circling 'Shahed' is waiting for a partner or hunting a target. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/fahivets-reb-poyasniv-navishcho-shahedi-kruzhlyayut-1794473575.html)) - **Timofey Yurkov, Contra-Drone:** In most cases, the drone is simply disoriented after losing connectivity. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/fahivets-reb-poyasniv-navishcho-shahedi-kruzhlyayut-1794473575.html)) *Where they agree:* Both sides agree that 'Shahed' drones are loitering over forest areas near Kyiv. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Специалист по РЭБ объяснил, зачем "Шахеды" кружат над Киевом](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/fahivets-reb-poyasniv-navishcho-shahedi-kruzhlyayut-1794473575.html) - Source: RBC-Ukraine podcast 'TSE BAZA', interview with Contra-Drone co-founder Timofey Yurkov. ## FAQ ### Why do 'Shaheds' circle over forests near Kyiv? According to Timofey Yurkov, the drone loses communication and enters a loitering mode until connection is re-established, causing disorientation. ### Do 'Shaheds' detonate on impact? Yurkov states they usually fall safely and do not detonate, especially if they are over Russian territory. ### What is the EW dome over Kyiv? It is an operation designed to suppress the mesh radio communication used by jet 'Shahed' drones.