Ukrainian Dronesโฃ Extend Strike Range, Hitting Targets Overโ 1,000 km Inside Russia
kyiv – โUkrainian drones have recently struck targets moreโ than 1,000 kilometers โwithin Russian territory for three โconsecutiveโ days, marking โa meaningful escalation in the conflict and a demonstrableโ increase in the rangeโฃ of Ukraine‘s unmanned aerialโ systems. Attacks โฃlate last week โขtargeted an oil refinery in Kirishi, Leningrad region – approximately 800 km from Ukraine – โand a warship on Lake Onega, northโ of โฃSt. Petersburg, nearly 1,100โข km from theโค border.
The โdevelopments, โreported by Belsat, come as ukraine continuesโ to refine and expand its domestic drone capabilities. A domestically produced assault drone, initially deployedโฃ in May 2023, has undergone constant modification, now capable of carrying a combat head of up toโ 75 โคkg and reachingโ speeds of up to 200 km/hour. Production costs are estimatedโฃ at $200,000, making it “much cheaperโค than Western maneuvering โคmissiles,” โฃaccording to Belsat.
A โฃkey advantage of these drones โisโ their โคintegration of satellite โnavigationโ and image recognition systems, โactivated as they approach their targets. Thisโ feature is intended to provide resistance against Russian electronic warfare systems.
Ukrainian โdrone performance has reportedly improved threefold in maximum range over the last few months. This increased โcapability now places approximately 80 percent of all oilโ refineries in Russia within range of Ukrainian drones.
Ivan โคKirichevsky, an expert with the Ukrainian Portal Defense Express, estimates Ukraine can currently produce around 36,000 long-range strike drones annually.โ He suggests the widespread adoption of FP-5 Flamingo jet bullets – capable ofโ reaching targets up to 3,000 km and delivering payloads exceeding 1,100โ kgโ – could extend Ukraine’s reach toโฃ facilities in the Asian part of Russia.
