A new type of Ukrainian fixed-wing drone bomber may have targeted a key Russian oil pipeline in a recent attack, Forbes reported on 30 January. The strike, conducted by Ukraine’s 14th Separate Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Regiment, hit a pumping station on the Druzhba pipeline near the Russian-Belarusian border in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast.
The Druzhba pipeline, one of the world’s largest, is essential for Russia’s oil industry. The attack led to a fire so intense it was detectable by NASA’s fire-detecting satellites, according to Forbes. Estonian analyst WarTranslated commented on the accuracy of the strike, stating, “Judging by the fire, the strike was precise.”
Ukrainian long-range drones now reusable and carry 250 kg bombs
Historically, Ukraine’s drone strikes on Russian oil facilities have involved drones loaded with explosives that crash into targets. However, Nikolaev Vanek, a popular Ukrainian Telegram channel, noted that the recent strike involved drones that “bombarded the Bryansk Republic with bombs.” The “Bryansk Republic” is a Ukrainian running joke mocking Russia’s fake “republics” in occupied Donetsk and Luhansk.
Forbes says Ukraine has previously modified civilian sport planes, such as the Aeroprakt A-22, for remote-controlled bombing missions. Militarnyi and Defense Express noted that Ukraine also employs E-300 SkyRanger light aircraft, modified for remote-controlled missions of the same type. However, Russian photos of crashed SkyRangers revealed a pylon with an attached FAB-100 bomb, indicating they could release their payload without crashing into the target.
The Druzhba pipeline attack occurred just some 40 km from Ukraine, reducing the need for one-way missions. With the short distance, the drone bombers could have dropped their bombs and possibly returned to base.
Remote landing remains a challenging aspect of drone operations. It is possible that after dropping bombs, the drones performed a “robotic double-tap,” crashing into the target for additional damage, Forbes notes.
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