Ukraine Extends Drone Strike Range to 250 km, Claims Over 270 Russian Trucks Hit in Logistics Campaign

Ukrainian drone units have conducted continuous strikes on Russian logistics assets as far as 250 kilometers behind the front line since January or February 2026. The campaign uses modified fixed-wing kamikaze drones equipped with Starlink terminals and other communication upgrades to reach targets previously limited to a 50-kilometer range.

An Unmanned Systems Department Officer for the First Corps Azov of the National Guard of Ukraine described the effort in an interview conducted on condition of anonymity.

The officer said the strikes focus on road sections where cargo concentrations are highest and enemy protection is lowest, with each Ukrainian unit assigned its own segment of road in an all-Ukrainian operation. Drones operate in hunting mode along routes supplying First Corps Azov operations around Dobropillia, including the Rostov-to-Mariupol-to-Donetsk corridor.

Intelligence sets target priorities by cargo type, while AI tools and operators jointly select individual vehicles.

The same statement said AI also provides terminal guidance and can identify and engage targets autonomously. The modified drones include Hornet and Darts systems. The Hornet, supplied to First Corps Azov for almost a year in its basic configuration, received unit-level modifications beginning with tests in early winter 2025.

Combat deployment of the extended-range versions followed roughly one month later. Since early May 2026, more than 270 trucks have been struck, along with multiple fuel depots and trains. The campaign has also expanded to the Sea of Azov, where at least five vessels carrying Russian cargo were hit, including two at the occupied ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol.

The strikes have produced documented fuel shortages in Crimea and other Russian-controlled areas. Gas stations there now operate with long queues, rationing, and voucher distribution. The officer noted that destroying a single fuel tanker removes several tons of fuel, compared with roughly 40 liters lost when a smaller vehicle carrying two canisters is hit.

The mid-range concept and associated tactics were developed by Azov to move beyond earlier reliance on expensive, limited-quantity systems. The officer said the approach allows daily, sustained operations rather than discrete missions and that the same low-cost airframes used at 50 kilometers can reach 250 kilometers after the modifications. First Corps Azov patrols border areas around Mariupol.

The officer stated that the campaign’s effect on supplies to Zaporizhia and Crimea is a byproduct of its primary focus on logistics supporting operations near Dobropillia.