Reaching Moscow: how Ukrainian drones are making oil facility strikes possible and wiping out Shahed operators
Hardly a day passes without Russian oil refineries, military-industrial complex plants and logistics hubs catching fire.
Media reports often focus on the operators of long-range drones, who inflict most of the damage, but rarely mention those who clear the way by destroying Russian air defence systems and radars.
The line of contact has the highest concentration of Russian air defence and electronic warfare systems. It is while crossing this line that Kyiv loses the largest proportion of its long-range drones, known in Ukraine as deep strike drones, on their way to critical Russian assets.
To increase the chances of success for Ukrainian drones, fighters from the 1st Separate Unmanned Systems Centre, a formation in the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, have begun clearing corridors for long-range drones by destroying Russian air defences, electronic warfare systems and other infrastructure used to counter Ukrainian UAVs.
Putting part of the enemy's territory under the constant threat of attack and securing air superiority there is an extremely complex task that requires meticulous planning, technical expertise and creativity from troops on the ground.
Ukrainska Pravda has spoken to Falco, an officer from the 1st Separate Centre. Read on to find out how the Unmanned Systems Forces are relentlessly destroying Russian radars and air defence systems in Bryansk Oblast and have established the ability to strike targets at Donetsk airport at will. The airport, which is temporarily occupied by Russian forces, is used to launch Shahed loitering munitions in near-daily attacks on Ukrainian cities and communities.