Ukraine has significantly escalated its campaign of strikes on Russian territory using long-range drones. While at the beginning of 2024, it was about a few dozen launches per month, now the Defense Forces use an average of 200 to 300 drones every night, Politico writes.
Journalists gained access to one of the secret facilities of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. At a closed site, Ukrainian specialists assemble and prepare long-range strike drones “Lyutyi” (Fierce) for launch. According to HUR, they can carry up to 60 kilograms of explosives and cover a distance of almost 2000 kilometers.
“They are now our most important trump card in this war,” said the unit commander with the call sign Vector.
According to him, the main targets of the strikes remain military facilities, oil refineries, and infrastructure that finances the Russian war machine.
“Now they understand that this is a war”
HUR is convinced that the campaign has already changed the perception of the war within Russia.
“Initially, Russians believed they were conducting a special military operation. Now they understand that this is a war,” said Vector.
He also addressed Russians: “This war has now reached your homes. We hope this message will help Russia end this war.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly emphasized the effectiveness of strikes on Russian territory. In an open letter to Vladimir Putin, he stated that the consequences of such attacks are fuel shortages, rising prices, and psychological pressure on the Russian population.
“They don’t like our drones and missiles,” Zelenskyy wrote.
The Ukrainian president previously called such operations “long-term sanctions” against Russia.
Strikes are already hitting Russia’s oil industry
According to the publication, Ukrainian attacks are already creating economic problems for Russia. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak recently admitted a reduction in oil production due to “unscheduled repair work” at enterprises.
This refers to oil refineries that have been hit by Ukrainian drones. Some facilities were forced to reduce production or temporarily shut down operations.
Former commander of the US Army in Europe, Ben Hodges, believes that Russia’s main advantage has turned into its weakness:
How the strike system works
According to intelligence officers, during attacks, not only strike drones are used, but also decoy drones that overload Russian air defense.
In addition, the jet drone “Peklo” (Hell) is used, which is significantly faster than “Lyutyi”.
“It is extremely accurate and extremely fast. Thanks to a special navigation system and a specially developed antenna, it can hit even very small targets with high precision,” explained a HUR technician with the call sign Logist.
HUR also revealed that flight routes are planned using an AI-based system called Prisma, which analyzes weather, air defense positions, and electronic warfare systems.
“We know every day and every hour how they move their air defense systems and electronic warfare assets. Every night, we use different flight routes. We never repeat them,” said Vector.
According to him, this tactic allows for constant adaptation to the enemy’s actions and maintaining the effectiveness of strikes.
HUR claims that the capabilities of Ukrainian drones continue to grow. Some models are already capable of covering over 3200 kilometers and carrying a warhead weighing over 225 kilograms. Vector says: “Rest assured, we can reach any place up to the Urals. And if we’re lucky, perhaps even further.”
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Источник: www.vesti-ua.net