MOSCOW, July 7 — Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian territory, which began in earnest in 2023, have evolved from tactical border-area raids into a strategic campaign reaching deep into the Russian heartland, according to the record of confirmed attacks over the past years. The pattern of strikes shows a steady expansion of Ukraine’s drone capabilities and operational reach. Officials have confirmed that Ukrainian forces have claimed responsibility for many of these operations, stating they target military infrastructure.
Russia has reported intercepting hundreds of drones, but the record shows some have reached their targets, including sites hundreds of kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
Early Strikes and Expanding Range
The first major deep-strike attacks occurred on December 5, 2022, when drones hit the Dyagilevo and Engels airbases, both located hundreds of kilometers inside Russian territory. These strikes signaled a new phase in the conflict, demonstrating that Ukrainian drones could penetrate deep into Russia’s air defense network. On May 3, 2023, a drone attack targeted the Kremlin in Moscow, a symbolic and high-security location in the heart of the Russian capital.
That was followed in July 2023 by strikes on Moscow’s business district, bringing the war visually to Russia’s financial center. In August 2023, drones struck the Pskov airbase near the Estonian border, underscoring the vulnerability of strategic military installations.
September 2023 saw strikes on oil depots in the Tver and Bryansk regions, hitting fuel infrastructure critical to Russia’s military logistics. The campaign reached a new milestone on January 25, 2024, when a drone attack targeted the Omsk refinery in Siberia, demonstrating that Ukraine’s drone range now extended across the entire breadth of the country.
Strategic Implications
The record shows that Ukrainian officials have framed these strikes as legitimate military operations against infrastructure supporting Russia’s war effort. Russia has consistently reported intercepting hundreds of drones, but the frequency and geographic spread of successful strikes indicate that Ukraine’s drone program has achieved a significant operational capability. The attacks have expanded from border regions to deep inside Russia, including Siberia, demonstrating Ukraine’s growing drone range and capability.
This expansion has forced Russian air defense planners to allocate resources across an increasingly vast area, from the western border regions to industrial facilities in the Urals and Siberia.
What to Watch
The trajectory of these strikes suggests that Ukraine is likely to continue developing longer-range drones capable of reaching deeper into Russian territory. The pattern of attacks on oil infrastructure and military airbases indicates a focus on degrading Russia’s logistical and combat capabilities. As both sides adapt their tactics, the drone campaign over Russian territory appears set to remain a significant feature of the conflict.
