Ukrainian drones turn key Crimea route into Russian 'highway of death' — The Guardian
Photo: Ukrainian drones are disrupting Russian logistics (Getty Images)
The highway along the Azov coast, which is crucial for Russian logistics, has turned into a 'highway of death' due to constant Ukrainian drone attacks. Russian cargo traffic along this route has plummeted, according to The Guardian.
The R-280 highway, which the Russians call Novorossiya, connects Rostov-on-Don in Russia with the occupied cities of Melitopol, Mariupol, and Crimea. It serves as the main land route for supplying the Russian army, bypassing the vulnerable Kerch Bridge.
However, in recent months, the Ukrainian military has effectively blocked this route using drones that hunt Russian convoys around the clock. Since late May, civilian traffic there has almost ceased, and dozens of burned-out Russian trucks and fuel tankers line the road.
According to Robert Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, military transport volumes on this route have decreased by 71% over the past two weeks. The effectiveness of the strikes has also been acknowledged by the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Analysts note that the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ tactics are severely limiting Russia’s ability to supply its forces in the south.
What Ukraine uses
The blockade of Russian logistics is taking place as part of the so-called medium-range strikes campaign, at distances ranging from 20 to 200 kilometers from the front line. To this end, Ukrainian units are using the latest technologies:
- Hornet drones. American unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with artificial intelligence, with a range of up to 150 km and capable of autonomously detecting enemy equipment.
- Morrigan drones. New domestically produced fixed-wing drones that are launched without a runway using a special catapult.
- Remote mining. The airdropping of mines that react to vehicle movement.
As a result of these actions, a fuel shortage has already been reported in occupied Crimea. Also, this week, due to drone attacks, the Russians were forced to suspend traffic across the vital Chonhar Bridge.
Ukraine's strategic goal
The Guardian notes that Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov previously stated that Ukraine’s strategic goal was to create a complete logistics blockade for the Russian army.
Additionally, in May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that the number of Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian targets and logistics had quadrupled compared to the start of the year.
The Chonhar Bridge, which connected the temporarily occupied Crimea with mainland Ukraine, was destroyed following a series of Ukrainian drone strikes.
Also, on the morning of June 10, in the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region, the Russian troops blocked the bridge between Henichesk and the Arabat Spit. This is already the second major crossing that the Russians have blocked in recent days, following the loss of the Chonhar Bridge.
