Ukraine’s USF Say Areas 1,500–2,000 km Inside Russia Are No Longer a “Peaceful Rear”

Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces now account for roughly one-third of all enemy targets destroyed, despite making up only about 2% of the country’s armed forces, according to Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces Robert “Magyar” Brovdi, in an interview with the BBC on April 27.

Brovdi said the growing role of drones is reshaping the battlefield, allowing Ukraine to strike deeper and more efficiently than before.

“We are like a red rag for the enemy. Because we are bringing the war onto their territory so they can feel it too. Territory 1,500 to 2,000 kilometers inside Russia is no longer a ‘peaceful rear.’ The freedom-loving Ukrainian ‘bird’ flies there whenever and wherever it wants,” he said.

The increase in long-range strikes is being driven in part by rapid technological progress. Domestically produced drones are becoming both cheaper and capable of flying greater distances, expanding Ukraine’s reach far beyond the front line.

According to Brovdi, a key focus of these operations is Russia’s energy infrastructure, particularly facilities tied to export revenues.

“Putin extracts natural resources and turns them into bloody dollars, which are then used against us in the form of ‘Shahed’ drones and ballistic missiles. If oil refineries are a tool for generating money used for war, then they are a legitimate military target and subject to destruction,” he said.

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One of Russia’s Largest Oil Refineries Erupts in Yaroslavl After Deep Drone Strike

Apr 26, 2026 11:08

Earlier, long-range drones struck targets in Russia’s Ural region for the first time overnight on April 25, reaching the cities of Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk—more than 1,800 kilometers from Ukraine.

Monitoring sources cited by Exilenova+ suggested that Ukrainian “Liutyi” long-range strike drones may have been used in the operation, with estimated flight distances ranging from 1,700 to over 2,000 kilometers, depending on the launch point.

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