Ukraine has developed a drone with a range of about 3,000 kilometers, which is capable of attacking targets in Siberia, The Economist writes.
The drone in question is the Sokol-3000, which was developed by the Ukrainian design bureau Luch. Its maximum range is up to 3.3 thousand kilometers.
Also, as Bild sources reported earlier, about ten drone manufacturers offered the Ukrainian military drones with a range of up to 2.5 thousand kilometers.
Thus, the Urals, the Far North of Russia, as well as Siberia could be in the AFU’s kill zone. For example, Ukrainian drones will be able to reach the Murmansk region, where there are about 80 military bases, including the Olenya airfield, the base of strategic bombers bombarding Ukraine.
So far, the farthest Ukrainian forces have struck a target in Tatarstan, which is 1,300 kilometers from the front line. The attack was carried out by a Ukrainian-made UJ-22 drone. Earlier it was believed that its maximum range did not exceed 800 kilometers. Another strike was carried out by a drone based on the Ukrainian Aeropract A-22 “Flying Fox” ultralight aircraft.
The Economist notes that Ukraine has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in long-range drones capable of searching for and hitting remote targets. At the moment, such drones are produced by “half a dozen firms”, the publication said.
Ukraine’s drone program may soon be expanded, The Economist’s sources said. “[The program] is born of necessity – the West is reluctant to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons – this program has undermined much of Russia’s oil and military infrastructure”, the publication notes.
At the same time, the US is unhappy with Ukraine’s strikes and has been urging Kyiv to stop attacking targets on Russian territory. However, Ukraine ignores these appeals. According to a Ukrainian intelligence officer under the pseudonym Detective in charge of this part of the program, he has not received instructions to curtail operations. “Our objectives are changing every day. We are keeping the Russians at bay”, he emphasized.
