How Ukraine Uses Drones in Its Strikes
Ukraine’s military intelligence unit, the HUR, is making extensive use of long-range drones known as 'Lyutyi' to strike targets inside Russia. Every night, Ukrainian forces launch between 200 and 300 unmanned aerial vehicles of various types, including the 'Lyutyi' kamikaze drones, which can carry up to 60 kilograms of explosives. One of the most recent large-scale attacks occurred on June 18, targeting an oil refinery near Moscow. That strike sparked massive fires and disrupted operations at four major airports in the capital.
A commander of a deep-strike special unit, who goes by the call sign 'Vektor,' said this weaponry gives Ukraine a critical advantage in the current conflict, emphasizing that 'combat operations have now moved directly onto Russian soil.' The attacks combine 'Lyutyi' drones with unarmed decoy drones designed to overwhelm enemy air defenses, as well as high-speed jet-powered drones of the 'Peklo' type, which function like cruise missiles. A technician with the call sign 'Logist' added that the 'Peklo' model is equipped with a specialized navigation system and antenna, allowing it to precisely eliminate even small targets.
Targets and Their Impact
The primary targets of these Ukrainian strikes are military installations and oil refineries. Military analyst Markus Reisner noted that 'Russian air defense cannot cope with such complex waves of aerial attacks.' HUR reconnaissance teams can easily reach targets beyond the Ural Mountains by using an intelligent software platform called Prisma to plot their flight routes.
At the start of 2024, the campaign involved only a few dozen launches per month, but the number of attacks has since grown significantly. Against this backdrop, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the regular strikes as 'long-term sanctions,' highlighting their importance in the war. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, speaking at a summit in St. Petersburg, acknowledged a drop in oil production, attributing it to 'unscheduled repairs' at damaged refineries in central Russia.
Meanwhile, Enabled Intelligence, a U.S.-based company in Virginia, has opened access to a library of drone video footage intended for training artificial intelligence models. In May, Taiwan launched its first civil defense program that includes drone pilot training. These developments underscore the growing role of unmanned technology in modern military conflicts and its importance for achieving strategic goals.
The increased use of drones in Ukrainian attacks on Russian targets highlights a shift in battlefield tactics, where technology is becoming decisive for military objectives. These actions could also influence the course of the war by intensifying pressure on Russian infrastructure and defense capabilities. The significance of drone technology in both military and civilian contexts points to its crucial role in future conflicts and the need to adapt to new realities.
As the intensity of drone attacks increases, the impact on fuel supplies in occupied territories is becoming evident. Notably, AI-enhanced UAVs are causing significant fuel shortages across Crimea, further complicating logistics for Russian forces and highlighting the strategic advantages of Ukraine's drone warfare capabilities.