Ukrainian drones escalate tactics with new pipeline strike
Ukrainian drones attacked a section of the Druzhba pipeline in Russia, causing a fire visible even from space. This was recorded by NASA satellites, reports the Ukrainian agency Unian. The attack was allegedly carried out by a completely new Ukrainian drone.
Ukrainian drones attacked the pumping station of the Druzhba pipeline near the Russian-Belarusian border in the Bryansk region. According to Forbes, the attack occurred overnight from Wednesday to Thursday Greenwich Time. The strike resulted in a fire, confirmed by NASA satellite images.
New tactics of Ukrainian drones
For the past two years, Ukrainian armed forces have regularly attacked Russian oil facilities using kamikaze drones. However, this time the drones not only struck the station but also dropped bombs, increasing the attack's effectiveness. Ukrainians have not disclosed which drone was used in the attack, but the information about bomb-dropping suggests that it might have been a small aircraft, such as the Aeroprakt A-22.
Let's recall that the Ukrainian armed forces have recently adapted drones to carry 250-kilogram FAB-250 bombs. This enhancement in aviation capability is significant because such large bombs are dropped by reusable drones. This is a considerable improvement over single-use kamikaze drones.
Combat capabilities of drones
New drones, such as the Aeroprakt A-22, can carry explosive loads up to 100 kilograms, although, as mentioned above, there are designs with a payload of up to 250 kilograms. This increases their range in one-way missions to about 1,300 kilometres. The attack on the facility in the Bryansk region, located about 40 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, did not require the full range of their capabilities.
The Unian agency points out that one of the challenges is still safely retrieving the drones after a mission. Operators can use a double-strike tactic: first dropping bombs and then, if a return is impossible, directing the drones into the target. Generally, however, the Ukrainian arsenal includes designs that allow bombs to be dropped and the drones to return to the base.
The model of the drone used in the latest attack by the Ukrainians is unknown. Unian reports that it was likely a new design. Therefore, it is difficult to determine its parameters and flight range. However, considering that the Bryansk region is close to the Ukrainian border, it can be assumed that the new design is not long-range weaponry.
