EXPLAINER: Ukraine’s Punishing Mid-Range Drone Bombardment of Russia – The Aircraft

Ukraine’s SBS drone campaign in occupied southern Ukraine relies on a layered system of reconnaissance and strike drones working together to disrupt Russian logistics. Small reconnaissance aircraft provide continuous battlefield surveillance, locating rail movements, fuel storage sites, and air-defense positions and feeding targeting data to strike units. Strike operations are carried out by a mix of short- and mid-range drones designed to hit vehicles, depots, and infrastructure along occupied routes. For deeper targets, longer-range Ukrainian drones such as Bober, Lyutyi, and FP-1 extend the reach of the campaign into rear areas. These aircraft are used against rail hubs, fuel depots, and air-defense systems supporting the occupied territories.