Ukrainian drones are increasingly effective in striking critical targets on Russian territory. This has become possible thanks to new tactics and support from Western partners who have provided Kyiv with important intelligence. As Apostrophe writes, this is reported by the Financial Times. The PromPolitInform portal informs.
According to the publication, if previously the key task was large-scale strikes on oil refineries, now the Armed Forces of Ukraine are focusing on striking key nodes without which companies cannot function. Such an approach not only causes damage, but also significantly complicates and increases the cost of the recovery process for the Russian Federation.
The publication’s sources among the Ukrainian military, drone operators and energy experts explained that each operation is carefully planned. Before departure, operators receive technical advice from engineers on the most vulnerable elements of the companies, and also have backup targets in case the main object is inaccessible due to the operation of air defense systems.
According to operators, the tactic of repeated strikes on already damaged objects before their repairs are completed is increasingly being used. This does not allow Russian enterprises to quickly resume production.
Intelligence data from the United States and France played a key role in the campaign. They helped to map the location of Russian air defense systems and determine the routes by which Ukrainian drones can bypass and reach targets deep into Russian territory.
In addition, the data allowed to improve the target selection process. According to the head of the Center for Defense Strategies, Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Ukrainian planners created a detailed map of the Russian energy network, which made it possible to identify nodes whose damage could cause large-scale disruptions, as well as equipment that is most difficult to replace.
Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert Brovdy, noted that the campaign also relies on the systematic destruction of Russian air defenses, radars and electronic warfare systems. This provides corridors for strike drones and makes their attacks more effective.
According to him, the main goal remains to destroy the sources of financing for Russia’s war and weaken its military-industrial complex. He emphasized that Ukrainian forces do not intend to reduce the intensity of long-range strikes on the territory of the aggressor state.
As Le Monde reported, Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries have caused a serious fuel crisis in Russia, which has jeopardized the unspoken social agreement between the population and the regime of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, which was based on the exchange of restrictions on freedoms for stability and prosperity.
