Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have increased the range of their deep strikes into Russia more than 2.5 times. While in 2022 they could hit targets at a distance of about 630 kilometers, today they successfully hit Russian military and industrial targets at a distance of approximately 1,750 kilometers.
One of the first major strikes was in December 2022 on the Engels-2 airbase, located 650 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Two Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers were then damaged. During 2024, Ukraine expanded the reach of its attacks. In April, the Shahed drone factory in Alabuga was hit at a distance of 1,200 kilometers, and in May, the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat oil refinery was hit at a distance of 1,500 kilometers.
In 2026, new records were reached. In February, Ukrainian forces hit a refinery in Ukhta in the Republic of Komi, 1,750 kilometers from the border, in what is currently the farthest known successful strike of the war. In March alone, five strategic facilities and ten oil refineries were hit across Russia, from Crimea to Leningrad Oblast, the Defense Forces of Ukraine announced.
In total, more than 70 strikes on Russian industrial and energy targets were recorded in March.
President Volodymyr Zelensky he did not hide his satisfaction with the results.
“Our drones have changed the way of warfare. Today we are targeting what hurts Russia the most,” Zelenski said, adding that Russian losses due to these attacks amount to tens of billions of dollars.
Minister of Defense Mihajlo Fedorov he made it known that Ukraine does not intend to stop. “We work every day to make every day of war a threat to Russia’s survival,” he said.
