Ukraine And Russia Are Battling For Supremacy In The Skies

What is a long-range drone war?

Russia’s war against Ukraine is increasingly turning into a confrontation between long-range strike drones. Both sides are ramping up production of new drones capable of striking targets far behind enemy lines—from military installations to oil refineries, warehouses, and other infrastructure, writes The Guardian.

Over the past year, Ukraine has dramatically increased the scale of its long-range attacks. Specialized units use domestically developed drones, and large-scale operations can involve hundreds of drones. One of the most notable targets was the Moscow Oil Refinery, which was attacked on September 20.

Ukrainian strikes are already taking a toll on Russia’s oil industry and logistics. At the same time, Moscow is also changing its tactics. Russia has modernized its “Geran” family of drones, equipping the new versions with jet engines. They are significantly faster than older models, making them harder to intercept.

“Russia never stops,” said Sergey Beskrestnov, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on defense technology.

The new Russian drones pose additional challenges for Ukraine’s air defense. The interception rate for the older “Shahed” drones exceeded 90%, whereas against the new models, this figure has dropped to approximately 60%.

The war is becoming increasingly dangerous for the civilian population as well. In the first eight months of 2026 alone, 2,222 people were killed in Ukraine—more than in the entire previous year.

At the same time, neither side is close to defeat. Russia has a wider range of long-range weapons and an advanced air defense system, while Ukraine relies on the mass production of relatively inexpensive drones and precision strikes against Russian infrastructure.

“We need to hold out at least one day longer than they do,” said a Ukrainian soldier, describing his hope of surviving another winter of war.

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