KYIV — Ukraine said on Friday its forces had carried out successful long-range drone strikes against military targets inside Russia, as both sides continued to intensify attacks far beyond the front lines in a conflict increasingly defined by deep-strike capabilities.
Ukraine's military said the overnight operation targeted facilities supporting Russia's war effort, describing the strikes as part of a broader campaign to disrupt logistics, aviation assets and military infrastructure. Ukrainian officials said damage had been recorded at several locations, though they did not immediately provide a full assessment of the operation's results.
Russian authorities acknowledged drone attacks in several regions and reported that air defence systems had intercepted many of the incoming aircraft. Moscow did not immediately confirm the extent of any damage at the sites identified by Ukraine, and Reuters could not independently verify battlefield claims made by either side.
The latest exchange came after Ukraine expanded its use of domestically developed long-range drones to strike military and energy-related facilities deep inside Russian territory. Ukrainian officials say the strategy aims to weaken Russia's ability to sustain military operations by targeting logistics hubs, fuel infrastructure and strategic aviation assets beyond the battlefield.
Russia has responded with sustained missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, including repeated strikes on Kyiv and other cities. Ukrainian authorities say recent Russian attacks have damaged civilian and critical infrastructure, while Moscow says it is targeting military-related facilities and describes some strikes as retaliation for Ukrainian attacks inside Russia.
The latest reported Ukrainian operation follows a series of increasingly ambitious long-range attacks in recent weeks, including strikes on oil infrastructure and military facilities hundreds and, in some cases, more than 2,000 kilometres from Ukrainian-controlled territory. Russian regional officials have confirmed several such attacks, although the extent of the resulting damage has often remained unclear.
Military analysts say the growing frequency of long-range drone operations reflects the expanding role of unmanned systems in the war, allowing Ukraine to challenge Russian military infrastructure while offsetting its disadvantage in conventional air power. Russia has likewise increased the scale of its own drone and missile campaigns against Ukraine.
Neither side's claims regarding the latest strikes could be independently verified, and officials on both sides said assessments of the attacks were continuing.
