This was achieved thanks to the systematic destruction of Russian air defense systems, including the Buk, Tor and Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile systems, which previously did not allow Ukrainian UAVs to penetrate deep into the Russian rear, the publication reports. Ukrainian-made attack drones have the opportunity to operate at previously unattainable distances, the publication notes.
Created in early 2026, the Deep Strike Command Center of the Armed Forces of the Unmanned Systems Forces effectively coordinates strikes against targets in the Russian rear, which leads to the defeat of targets without large-scale troop movements. According to Anton Zemlyany, an analyst at the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, constant feedback plays a key role in this system – data from the battlefield is immediately converted into technical improvements to drones.
The purpose of systematic attacks on the rear is to deprive the Russian Federation of the opportunity to transport equipment and reinforcements to the front line, the authors of the article note. According to Katerina Stepanenko, an expert at the Institute for the Study of War, cited by the publication, the ultimate goal is to force Russian soldiers to reach positions on foot over long distances, which gradually undermines their combat effectiveness.
