Ukraine is stepping up its attacks on the land corridor between Russia and Crimea
Ukrainian drones are striking transport routes that Russia uses to supply its troops in the temporarily occupied territories and to maintain links with Crimea, according to Politico.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated that Ukraine is expanding the capabilities of its medium-range strike drones and increasing pressure on the Russian army’s logistics system. According to him, the aim is to destroy the enemy’s military infrastructure in the operational depth and reduce the intensity of assault operations.
The 412th ‘Nemesis’ Unmanned Systems Brigade reported that the R-280 motorway, which runs from Mariupol through Melitopol to Simferopol, is under systematic attack. Videos showing destroyed Russian vehicles on this stretch are circulating on social media.
The Ukrainian military explains that the intensification of strikes has been made possible by the development of drones with a range of 100 to 300 kilometres. Such systems allow targets far behind enemy lines to be struck.
The commander of the 7th battalion of the ‘Madyar’s Birds’ unit, codenamed ‘Topot’, stated that strikes on Russian air defence systems have enabled Ukrainian drones to operate across virtually the entire territory of the temporarily occupied regions. According to him, reaching the enemy’s logistics routes now takes about an hour.
According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, the campaign of strikes against rear-area targets has already led to increased losses in the enemy’s logistics, the destruction of warehouses, weapons, command posts and supply routes.
Russian military bloggers and representatives of the occupying authorities have also reported in recent days an increase in the number of drone attacks on transport routes between Russia and Crimea. Local residents have been advised to avoid travelling on certain roads.
The Institute for the Study of War notes that Ukrainian strikes on logistics routes in the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions are creating supply problems for Russian troops and negatively impacting their combat capabilities.
In addition to using drones on the front line, Ukraine continues to carry out long-range strikes on oil refineries, ports and other strategic targets within Russian territory. At the same time, Kyiv is expanding the use of medium-range drones to strike logistics centres and supply routes.
The “Nemesis” brigade stated that, due to significant losses, the Russian command was forced to restrict the movement of heavy equipment to the so-called “Novorossiya” route. Attempts to use field and dirt roads also fail to avoid drone strikes.
The Russian side accuses Ukraine of striking civilian targets.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that since the start of the year, the Ukrainian military had regained control of around 590 square kilometres of territory. Independent think tanks, including the Institute for the Study of War and the Centre for Eastern Studies in Warsaw, also note minor advances by Ukrainian forces on certain sections of the front.
At the same time, the Russian army continues to launch drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities and logistics infrastructure, as well as conducting offensive operations in the north and east of Ukraine.
According to Mykhailo Fedorov, the dynamics of the fighting indicate a slowdown in the advance of Russian troops and a gradual strengthening of Ukrainian positions on the front line.
