Ukrainian drones redefine Black Sea dominance, hit deep into Russia
6:34 PM EDT, September 7, 2024
Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, wrote on his Facebook profile on the occasion of Military Intelligence Day that Ukrainian intelligence's successful actions "have proven to the world that the Black Sea does not belong to Russia." The military official points to a specific tool in this context—drones with a record range of 1,120 miles.
"Military airfields, which are a continuous threat to the peaceful cities of Ukraine, are shaking from air attacks," Budanov claims in his post. He adds that the entire Russian infrastructure has suffered significant losses, and this will not change - it will continue to suffer.
The head of Ukrainian intelligence explains that Ukraine "forced the enemy to move its fleet to a safe distance and to leave maritime borders," primarily using long-range drones. Budanov emphasizes that Ukraine now has modern unmanned systems not in the defenders' arsenal before the war broke out.
This weapon is now capable of attacking targets even 1,120 miles away from the launch site. This means that today, not only Moscow is within Ukraine's reach but also distant places like Ufa, Kazan, and the vicinity of the White Sea.
In the arsenals of the Ukrainian armed forces today, you can find weapons capable of attacking very distant targets on the territory of the Russian Federation. Among them, the "Bóbr" drones stand out. Although their full specifications remain a secret, publicly available information suggests their range is about 620 miles. Bóbrs have a wingspan reaching 11.5 feet, and their takeoff weight is only a few dozen pounds. The maximum speed of these drones does not exceed 124 mph.
The Sokół-300 drone also deserves special attention. It was developed in 2022 and was recently presented. This unmanned aircraft can reach targets even 2,050 miles away from the launch site. The Sokół-300 can carry an explosive payload of 661 pounds, and its wingspan is about 46 feet.
Other long-range drones currently in Ukraine's possession include the UJ-22 Airborne and Rubaka. The UJ-22 Airborne can reach about 497 miles, and the Rubaka has a range of about 311 miles.
