Reuters
- Ukraine's Liutyi drones are behind 80% of strikes on Russian oil refineries, according to a report.
- Developed without state backing, the Liutyi drone had a challenging start in 2023.
- But it's now the main weapon in an increasingly potent strategy targeting Russian oil facilities.
A Ukrainian-developed long-range drone is responsible for the vast majority of the country's successful strikes on Russian oil refineries, according to a new report.
The Liutyi drone was developed as Ukraine's answer to the inexpensive but deadly Shahed exploding drone, which Russia has launched in waves against Ukrainian military and civilian infrastructure, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
According to the outlet, it's believed to be behind 80% of all successful drone attacks on Russian soil, many of them hundreds of miles inside Russia's borders.
The Liutyi had an inauspicious start.
Developed without Ukrainian state backing, its large and cumbersome design was offputting to lawmakers. "To be honest, nobody really believed in this drone," an unnamed MP on Ukraine's defense committee told Ukrainska Pravda.
During one of its early trials in April 2023, operators briefly lost control of one of the drones, which almost struck the control center it was launched from, the outlet reported.
But by the start of this year, Ukraine had begun a concerted campaign of regular cross-border drone strikes, focused primarily on Russia's oil refineries.
The Liutyi appears to have been a key part of this.
According to the report, the Liutyi can travel up to 600 miles, has a wingspan of 22 feet, and can carry a 50kg explosive payload.
Other drones have struck farther away, but it seems that Ukraine's campaign of strikes on Russian oil facilities is being primarily led by the Lyutyi.
Despite concerns from its allies that the strikes could destabilize global oil partners and provoke Russia, Ukraine has kept up a steady barrage — and the effects appear to be bearing fruit.
In February, Russia announced a six-month gasoline export ban. Ukraine has claimed that its attacks have reduced Russian oil production and processing by 12%.
The tactic of targeting oil refineries rather than crude oil production forces Russia to put more crude oil onto the market, experts wrote in Foreign Affairs this month, which they said had the effect of raising the price of refined oil products domestically, while not leading to a surge in global oil prices.