Ukraine's Azov fighters show Hornet drones hitting Russian fuel depot in Donetsk Oblast – photos

Ukrainian fighters from the 1st Azov National Guard Corps have conducted Operation Hell and struck a fuel depot in Novoamvrosiivka with Hornet drones. The Russians had been using it to supply fuel to Russian forces in Donetsk Oblast.

Source: 1st Azov Corps on Facebook

Details: The military report the depot is located less than 20 kilometres from the border with Russia and is an important element of the storage system in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk Oblast.

"For efficient logistics, the Russians built a network of fuel depots in Donetsk Oblast, 16 km from the state border. The heart of this system was the depot in Novoamvrosiivske, located on the territory of a cement plant," the corps stated in the video.

Azov explained that fuel and other petroleum products were delivered here by rail and stored in surface tanks as well as underground storage facilities.

Ukrainian fighters conducted detailed reconnaissance and analysed the facility. The defenders then struck the fuel depot with a complex series of Hornet drone attacks.

"First, we destroyed the railway crane that could have cleared the blocked railway track. After that, we blocked the railway track itself: we struck the locomotive at a point where it could not be towed away. The railway line was blocked. Then the electrical substation that powered the entire depot was destroyed," the corps reported.

After a series of strikes on key infrastructure at the fuel depot, Ukrainian forces conducted a series of attacks on fuel tanks in the area of the settlement in Donetsk Oblast. The military said the Russians were forced to abandon the depot and relocate fuel logistics to Russian territory.

The Hornet strike UAV was developed by American company Swift Beat, founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. The manufacturer is also known for its Merops interceptor drones, which have proven effective against Shaheds.

Earlier, Ukrainian publication Militarnyi analysed reports of this drone and the Russians' examination of its debris. The Hornet is capable of operating at a depth of up to 160 km and carrying a warhead of up to 4.5 kg, sufficient to strike light and vulnerable equipment. The Hornet's key feature is built-in artificial intelligence with automatic target acquisition, which increases the probability of striking a target even when communications are lost. The drone's estimated price is €5,000.

Background: Azov fighters previously attacked Russian logistics in temporarily occupied Mariupol with drones, 160 kilometres from the line of contact.

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