Ukraine on Friday attacked a Russian warehouse full of surveillance drones. Security sources said Ukraine targeted the facility with drones and Neptune missiles. Russia uses reconnaissance drones to support deep strikes, which has been a problem for Kiev.
Ukraine said on Friday that its military had attacked a Russian warehouse facility full of reconnaissance drones and homegrown missiles that were not mentioned much in public announcements of the Kiev combat operations.
The cross-border attack targeted a drone and ammunition storage facility in Russia’s southwestern Rostov region, an official with Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) told Business Insider on Friday.
The official said Ukraine first launched drones to overwhelm Russian air defenses in the region, then attacked a compound near the small village of Chalcil with Neptune missiles.
The R-360 Neptune is a subsonic long-range cruise missile manufactured by Ukrainian defense manufacturer Luchy Design Bureau. Initially developed as an anti-ship missile, it was later modified to attack land targets.
Neptune missile on display in Kyiv. Void Wanderer/Wikimedia Commons
The improved Neptune missile has not received as much attention as the country’s other weapons, particularly those provided by Kiev’s Western partners, but Ukraine is using it to attack high-value Russian targets such as sophisticated air defense batteries. I’ve been using it. Recently, it has become an oil terminal. Friday’s attack appears to be the first confirmed use in combat in quite some time.
Footage of the attack shared with BI shows the noise of what appears to be a drone. At one point a huge fireball is seen, followed by a loud explosion. Other videos show fire and plumes of smoke at the scene. A secondary explosion may have occurred because ammunition was stored inside the facility.
According to the official, the attack operation was carried out by the SBU and the Ukrainian Navy. “Now there will be fewer Russian ‘birds’ in the sky. Work on military facilities behind the enemy will continue,” they said, according to a translation of the remarks shared with BI. BI could not independently confirm details of the operation.
Russian soldiers prepare to launch an Oran reconnaissance drone at an undisclosed location in August 2022. Photo from the Russian Ministry of Defense press service (via AP)
Russia uses reconnaissance drones like the Orlan, among other systems, to provide valuable intelligence to Ukraine, including targeting data on troop locations and critical equipment from behind the front lines. It allows for deep attacks. Moscow will then attack these locations with guided tactical missiles.
Russia’s reconnaissance and attack complexes pose a challenge for Ukraine, especially as its air defenses tighten.
Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, have regularly pressed the United States and its NATO allies to strengthen their air defenses and missile interceptors to protect against Russian attack. Ukrainians are also increasingly turning to interceptor drones as a cheaper alternative to expensive missiles.
Eliminating targets on the ground is also an option. Friday’s attack was the latest cross-border attack in Russia by Ukraine. Earlier this month, Kiev launched a drone hundreds of miles away into a major port near the city of St. Petersburg in an attempt to disrupt operations at the facility. These attacks are a problem for Russia.
