Ukraine Conducts Over 7,000 Strategic Strikes on Russian Military Targets, CNN Reports

Ukraine has executed more than 7,000 strikes on Russian military targets over the past year, according to CNN.

The report highlights that while Russian air defenses impede some Ukrainian drone attacks, their effectiveness could rise significantly—potentially up to 95%—if the United States permits the use of Western weaponry.

Ukrainian drones are being programmed to follow complex flight paths to evade air defenses, with around 30% of these missions serving as decoys.

CNN gained exclusive access to one of Ukraine's secretive drone units, the Long-Range UAV Unit, operated by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR). Commanders Serge and Vector, who spoke to CNN under their callsigns, disclosed that Serge has overseen over 500 long-range drone operations since the onset of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

The unit is engaged in preparations for a significant operation, with plans to launch over 100 drones overnight targeting an ammunition facility believed to contain recently delivered Iranian missiles. Despite Iran’s denial of supplying such missiles to Russia, the facility’s location is strategically important, situated near the village of Kotluban in the Volgograd region.

The unit utilizes decoy drones to draw fire away from their primary targets, thereby increasing the chances of successful strikes.

Vector highlighted the difficulties posed by Russian airfields, which are currently inaccessible for certain operations. He noted that successful attacks require a coordinated deployment of multiple drones to achieve their objectives. Furthermore, Vector emphasized that their operations focus exclusively on military targets, underscoring the significant damage inflicted by Russian assaults on Ukrainian infrastructure.

In addition, HUR claims their success rate could improve dramatically if allowed to use Western weaponry.

Long-range drone strikes have gained prominence as the war continues, with an increase in air warfare complementing ground operations. Notably, the unit’s drones recently targeted a Russian ammunition depot in Tver, leading to significant explosions.