A key figure in Ukraine's three-month-old campaign to outfox its larger enemy by targeting oil facilities deep inside Russia with drones said Moscow was improving its ability to intercept them. But he said his unit was forging technology to keep one step ahead.

Kyiv

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

Ukrainian special forces have intensified drone strikes on Russian energy facilities, conducting over 60 attacks since August. These operations, some launched from undisclosed locations, have caused significant disruption to Russia's oil pipeline system. A senior Ukrainian commander, identified by the call sign 'Charlie', noted that Russian defenses are becoming more adept at intercepting drones, prompting Ukraine to continually adapt its tactics and technology.

Both Ukraine and Russia have rapidly advanced their use of drones since the conflict escalated in early 2022. While Russia uses drones to support missile attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, Ukraine focuses on long-range strikes targeting the Russian energy sector. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently highlighted improvements in the range and accuracy of these attacks. Despite Russian officials' assertions that external pressure will not alter their strategy, Ukrainian forces continue to analyze operations and implement new technologies to maintain effectiveness.

Ukraine's drone command in race to outfox Russian defenses

Footage from Ukraine's special forces shows a drone strike on a fuel depot in Russian-occupied Crimea. Ukraine has attacked Russian energy facilities more than 60 times since August. The strikes have caused significant damage and disrupted the flow of oil through Russia's vast pipeline system. Some of those operations launch from here, an undisclosed location. A senior Ukrainian commander in the 14th Deep Strike Regiment told Reuters the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAVs, were travelling more than 1,200 miles. But he said Russia was getting better at intercepting them. We are dealing with a fairly skilled opponent. They have a high level of training and they quickly adapt to our methods, to the tactics that we use. The enemy is waiting for us in certain places, carrying out countermeasures in order to reduce our success in long-range strikes. The commander asked to be identified by his call sign, Charlie, in line with Ukrainian military practice. Drone warfare has changed rapidly since Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, with both sides sending them across the front line and far behind it. Russia has used blizzards of them to reinforce missile attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, seeking to knock out heating during the freezing winter months. Kyiv focuses on long-range targets inside Russia to hit the energy system that fuels Russia's vast military. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week boasted of an increase in both distance and accuracy of long-range strikes. He estimated they were hitting Russian oil operations every other day, hoping to, quote, bring Russia back to reality. Russian officials have said no external pressure will force them to change course in the conflict. Nevertheless, we are identifying weak spots, analysing every operation and implementing new technologies based on these analyses. This enables us to complete our missions successfully time and time again. Charlie did not say how many drones were sent on each attack and how many were intercepted. He declined to discuss US intelligence sharing, which has helped Ukraine successfully hit some of Russia's biggest oil installations.

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Ukraine's drone command in race to outfox Russian defenses

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Ukraine Invasion