In the dimly lit corners of rural Ukraine, a new chapter in modern warfare is unfolding. As night falls, teams of Ukrainian officers in body armor gather in secret workshops, assembling columns of attack drones under the cloak of darkness. Their mission is singular and bold: to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting the very infrastructure that keeps Moscow’s war machine humming.
Since the summer of 2025, Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign has escalated in both frequency and ambition. According to the Associated Press, these homegrown drones—many pieced together from parts sourced in a scattered network of clandestine workshops—have been pounding Russian oil refineries, fuel depots, and military logistics hubs. The campaign’s effects are rippling across Russia, stretching air defenses thin and, perhaps most notably, causing gasoline shortages that have led to rationing in some regions.
Ukraine’s Security Service chief, Lt. Gen. Vasyl Maliuk, reported on October 31, 2025, that more than 160 successful strikes had been carried out against Russian oil extraction and refining facilities so far this year. These figures are staggering, especially when one considers the reach and persistence of the attacks. The Carnegie Endowment, a respected U.S.-based think tank, noted that Ukrainian drones have repeatedly hit 16 major Russian refineries—about 38% of the country’s nominal refining capacity. Still, most of these plants have managed to resume operations within weeks, cushioned by Russia’s idle capacity and existing fuel surpluses.
Yet, the cumulative impact is undeniable. The International Energy Agency estimates that repeated drone strikes have slashed Russia’s refining capacity by some 500,000 barrels a day. This has triggered domestic fuel shortages and forced the Kremlin to curb exports of diesel and jet fuel, even as global oil production and prices remain largely stable.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been vocal about the strategic effects of these strikes. In a recent briefing in Kyiv, he told reporters, “We believe they’ve lost up to 20% of their gasoline supply — directly as a result of our strikes.” According to Caliber.Az, Zelenskyy went further on November 1, announcing that Ukraine is preparing fresh long-range strikes against priority targets inside Russia, following consultations with the country’s security and intelligence agencies. “Together with the heads of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, we have identified priority targets for our long-range operations in the coming period. We will certainly implement them,” the president stated.
The night of October 31, 2025, saw a dramatic illustration of this campaign’s intensity. As reported by Caliber.Az, Ukrainian drones struck energy infrastructure across several Russian regions simultaneously. In Oryol, a combined heat and power plant was hit, leaving parts of the city without electricity. A fire broke out at the Vladimirskaya substation—a critical 750 kV high-voltage facility that helps power Moscow—after a drone attack. Meanwhile, residents of Yaroslavl reported explosions near the Slavneft-YANOS oil refinery, leading to the temporary closure of the city’s airport.
What’s fueling this surge in Ukrainian drone capability? The answer lies in a combination of ingenuity, necessity, and a no-frills approach to war production. The Liutyi drone, a locally produced workhorse, is emblematic of this philosophy. Waist-high with a sausage-shaped body and a triangular tail, it looks more like a backyard project than a product of a high-tech defense contractor. But its simplicity is its strength. As the Associated Press describes, the Liutyi can be assembled quickly, hidden easily, and constantly tweaked to evade Russian air defenses. Its range has doubled over the past year, now routinely reaching targets up to 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the border—a significant leap from the 500-kilometer reach of earlier models.
Even more striking is the cost. These drones can be produced for as little as $55,000, a fraction of the price of more sophisticated Western systems. This affordability allows Ukraine to sustain a high tempo of operations, bombarding Russian infrastructure and forcing Moscow to spread its air defenses over a much wider area.
Adriano Bosoni, director of analysis at RANE, a global risk firm, summed up the strategic logic: “What we’re seeing is that Ukraine is getting better at taking the war inside Russia. For most of the war, Russia operated on the assumption that its own territory was safe. That’s no longer the case.” By forcing Russia to reroute supplies and commit air defenses far from the front lines, Ukraine hopes to degrade Moscow’s ability to sustain large-scale operations—a classic war of attrition, fought through logistics and persistence.
The human element of these operations is never far from mind. The commander overseeing one of these secret drone launch sites, known by the call sign “Fidel,” watches through night-vision goggles as his drones lift off into the star-filled sky. “Drones are evolving,” Fidel told the Associated Press. “Instead of flying 500 kilometers (310 miles), now they fly 1,000 ... Three factors go into a successful operation: the drones, the people and the planning. We want to deliver the best result. For us, this is a holy mission.”
But it’s a mission fraught with risk. Fewer than 30% of drones reach their target area, making meticulous planning and execution essential. Fidel reflected on the cost: “War has fallen to our generation so that we can fight for our kids and they can live in a free democratic country. We are currently obtaining experience that will be used by every country in the world, and we are paying the price with our lives and the lives of our friends.”
This evolving drone campaign has given Kyiv a newfound autonomy. Unlike imported long-range missiles—which often require Western approval before use—Ukraine’s homegrown drones can be launched at will, allowing for rapid, independent operations. This capability has become even more critical as Ukraine’s requests for U.S.-made Tomahawk missiles have stalled and as Western allies ramp up sanctions targeting Russia’s oil industry. In fact, Kyiv’s independent strike capacity preceded the latest wave of sanctions, with allies escalating only after months of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries.
The broader context of the war underscores the significance of these developments. As highlighted by the BBC, energy infrastructure strikes have become a defining feature of the conflict, with both Ukraine and Russia targeting each other’s power systems. Russia’s strikes have plunged Ukrainian cities into intermittent blackouts, while Ukraine’s drones have reached ever deeper into Russian territory—some reportedly even approaching Moscow.
Looking ahead, the European Union is weighing whether to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s war effort, with a crucial decision expected at an EU summit in December. Meanwhile, the United States continues to play a pivotal role, with domestic politics and international diplomacy shaping the contours of support for Kyiv.
As winter approaches and both sides brace for further escalation, the war’s front lines are no longer defined solely by trenches and artillery. Instead, they stretch across the night sky, traced by the silent flight of Ukrainian drones, carrying with them the hopes—and the sacrifices—of a nation determined to defend its future.
