Ukrainian long-range drones outperform Russian Shaheds

Ukrainian long-range strike drones are hitting targets inside Russia with more than double the accuracy and effectiveness of Russia's own Shahed-type drones, according to intelligence and military sources.

Data reveals that between 10% and 12% of Ukrainian long-range drones successfully hit their designated targets. In contrast, only 3% to 5% of Russia’s Shahed kamikaze drones manage to bypass heavy air defenses to strike their targets. This stark efficiency gap means Ukrainian operations are currently outperforming Russian drone strikes more than twofold, News.Az reports, citing RBC-Ukraine.

Ukraine's Defense Forces have strategically focused their long-range campaign on the two main pillars of the Kremlin's war effort: oil revenues and military manufacturing. Priority targets include Russian facilities involved in processing, storing, transporting, and exporting oil, alongside enterprises producing explosives and precision-guided weaponry.

Over the past year, Kyiv has significantly scaled up both the volume and sophistication of its aerial tech. Sources note that Ukraine is close to reaching parity with Russia in the sheer number of long-range drones launched. Strike packages now feature an increased number of advanced jet-powered drones equipped with larger warheads.

To bypass and exhaust Russian air defense networks, Ukraine has also adopted a tactic frequently used by Moscow: integrating decoy and imitation drones with minimal warheads into its nightly attack waves. The strategy is proving effective, with Russian social media channels reporting that hundreds of drones are penetrating Russian airspace almost every night.

The tangible impact of this drone campaign is already being felt on the ground. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently confirmed a successful Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) strike on a major oil depot in Armavir, located deep within the Krasnodar region. Additionally, intensified strikes on critical logistics and energy infrastructure have forced authorities in Russian-occupied Crimea to introduce fuel rationing, capping sales of AI-92 gasoline at just 20 liters per vehicle.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada