Russian occupation troops started to use a new tactic of a combined attack by drones, sometimes with the use of loitering shells, from different directions in order to disperse the efforts of the Ukrainian air defense, Spokesperson for the Joint Coordinating Press Center of the Defense Forces of the South of Ukraine Natalia Humeniuk has said.

"The enemy is haunted by the effectiveness of our air defense, and it is trying to disperse its efforts, using tactics from different directions, including firing loitering shells," she said on the air of the national telethon on Friday.

According to Humeniuk, recently the enemy has been attacking not only from the southern direction, as was usual, but it is also mastering attacks from the eastern and northeastern directions.

"Last night, the Russians tried to enter from the northeast direction, just in order to disperse the efforts of our air defense. By such actions, they are trying to determine where our air defense works, and how, in order to hit these targets in the future," she said.

"The enemy's priority targets are still infrastructure facilities, including critical ones, despite the fact that the heating season is over, but electricity remains a priority because it keeps the economy running and simply provides basic amenities," Humeniuk said.

To a question about the means of countering drone attacks, she said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are constantly improving the system of combating them, involving not only anti-aircraft, but also ground forces, using various forms and methods of fighting.