Ukraine has been building and demonstrating expertise in launching drone assaults throughout the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War. It has been using drones or unmanned vehicles to target the Russian military and other strategic infrastructure. These assaults were designed to disrupt military logistics, degrade Russian morale, and counterbalance the numerical superiority of Russia. Nevertheless, since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the incessant Russian aggression, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other Ukrainian militarized forces have carried out some of the most high-level drone strikes in modern history.
Evolving Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities of Ukraine: Notable Drone Strikes Carried Out By Ukraine as Part of Its Response to Continuous Russian Aggression
Operation Spiderweb
Ukraine launched not only one of the most decisive assaults in its ongoing conflict with Russia but also one of the most sophisticated covert military operations in history. Operation Spiderweb can be likened to the Trojan Horse. It involved smuggling bespoke wooden containers deep in Russian areas by hiring unknowing Russian truck drivers. These containers were remote-operated launch pads that hid small first-person-view assault drones.
The operation was carried out on 1 June 2025. The hired Russian drivers were instructed to deliver the container to locations near targeted Russian airbases. Hence, once in position, the container released assault drones that targeted aerial assets. A total of 117 drones were transported deep into the Russian territory. The attack even reached far east Siberia. Russia reportedly lost about 40 aerial bombers like the Tu-95MS, Tu-160, and Tu-22M3.
Black Sea Fleet Attacks
Several drone-related strikes were also launched against the Russian Black Sea Fleet. For example, on 29 October 2022, Ukraine deployed nine aerial drones and seven maritime drones to target the fleet stationed in Sevastopol. The assault damaged multiple Russian vessels. It also marked one of the earliest use of unmanned surface vehicles in the conflict.
The Ukrainian Security Service or SBU developed the Sea Baby unmanned surface vehicles for heavier payloads and longer-range missions. These drones struck the Crimean Bridge on 17 July 2023. The SBU, working alongside the Ukrainian Navy, used a sea drone to damage the landing ship Olenegorsky Gornyak on 4 August 2023.
Another series of attacks using drones and missiles also targeted several maritime assets stationed in Crimea in September 2023. It destroyed a total of 12 Su-24 and Su-30 aircraft and killed 34 officers, including Admiral Viktor Sokolov, at the headquarters. This assault degraded Russian naval operations and forced fleet relocations.
Two of the most impactful drone-relate strikes were the sinking of the guided-missile corvette Ivanovets in the Black Sea on 1 February 2024 and the large landing ship Tsezar Kunikov near Alupka in Crimea on 14 February 2024. Both involved MAGURA V5 drones These eroded the naval power and dominance of Russia in the Black Sea.
Other Interior Strikes
Ukraine has extensively used drones to attack the Russian interior. For example, to disrupt military supply lines, it has continuously attacked railways, including ones in Bryansk and Kursk. It also targeted the 107th arsenal ammunition depot of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate in Toropets from 17 to 18 September 2024. The drone attacks resulted in a massive series of explosions and fires in various storage facilities and across nearby towns.
The use of drones by Ukraine has demonstrated a significant shift in modern warfare by enabling deep strikes into Russian territory without requiring boots on the ground. Most of its operations underscored the ability of the country to bypass traditional front lines, reach further deep into the Russian interior, pinpoint and conduct strategic attacks on critical infrastructure, and create and sustain logistical and psychological pressure on Russia.
FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES
- Ataman, J., Pleitgen, F., and Tarasova-Markina, D. 5 February 2024. “A Ukrainian Pilot Outlines How Drones Powered by Jet Skis Sunk a Russian Warship.” CNN. Available online
- Balmforth, T. and Hunder, M. 2 June 2025. “To Attack Russian Air Bases, Ukrainian Spies Hid Drones in Wooden Sheds.” Reuters. Available online
- Novikov, I. 14 February 2024. “Ukrainian Military Says It Sank a Russian Landing Ship in the Black Sea.” Associated Press. Available online
- Radio Free Europe. “Zelenskiy Says ‘Victory Plan’ Ready As Drone Attack Targets Arms Depot In Russia.” Radio Free Europe. Available online
- 15 April 2022. “The ‘Moskva’, Russia’s Lost Black Sea Fleet Flagship.” Reuters. Available online
Photo Credit: VoidWanderer/Military Exhibition on Mykhailivska Square 2021/ Adapted From Original/CC BY-SA 4.0
