Ukraine extends drone strike range into Russia by 170% since start of war
Ukraine carries out drone strikes at distances over 1,700 km (photo: Getty Images)
Since the start of full-scale war, Ukrainian Defense Forces increased strike range into Russia by 170 percent, the Ministry of Defense says.
In 2022, Tu-95 bombers were hit at the Engels-2 airbase in the Saratov region, located at a distance of 650 km.
In 2024, the strike range of Ukrainian drones increased to 1,200 km — a Shahed production plant in Alabuga came under attack. In the same year, drones reached the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat oil refinery located 1500 km from the border.
This year, a record distance to target for Ukrainian drones was set — 1,750 km. They struck the Ukhta oil refinery in the Komi Republic.
"Only this March, our drones visited 5 strategic factories and 10 Russian oil refining facilities. The geography of operations ranges from occupied Crimea to the Leningrad region," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The ministry emphasized that long-range strikes are not just a demonstration of capabilities, but a way to deprive the aggressor country of resources for offensive operations and continuation of the war.
Strikes on important Russian facilities
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine clarified the consequences of a strike in mid-April on the oil refinery in Tuapse: 24 storage tanks were destroyed, and four more were damaged.
On April 16, after the first attack, the Tuapse plant effectively stopped operations. The smoke cloud over Tuapse stretched for more than 300 kilometers. NASA satellites recorded active fire hotspots on the territory of the facility for several more days.
In addition, on April 26, the Security Service of Ukraine carried out a large-scale special operation in occupied Crimea. Fighters of the Alpha unit attacked a naval base in Sevastopol and the Belbek airfield.
Three warships, a MiG-31 fighter jet, and a number of air defense facilities were hit.
On the night of April 23, drones of the Alpha Special Operations Center of the Security Service of Ukraine struck the Gorky oil pumping station in the Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia.
