This footage, taken by a civilian onlooker, shows a Russian refinery at Salavat, Bashkiria, being attacked by Ukrainian FPV/kamikaze drones. What makes this stand out as opposed to other drone strikes is that this oil refinery is over 1300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

This incident has been geolocated at the following coordinates: 53.400, 55.907. As opposed to attempting to overwhelm Russian anti-aircraft systems by sheer numbers, as Iran tried and failed to do versus Israel, Ukraine appears to have opted for singular, long-distance drone strikes using larger drones, against infrastructure targets with weaker defenses. There's some room to argue for this strategy, as a single or pair of aircraft will doubtlessly trigger a smaller radar return than a wave of smaller drones. Here is another recent example, wherein the drone appears to be based on a Cessna-type airframe.

About the Author

Cole Simms

Cole Simms is an Air Guardsman, NASA enthusiast, police officer, and security contractor with particular experience in austere environments. Outside of work, he volunteers as a Stop The Bleed instructor for area schools. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and blends his knowledge and experience to write analysis for Funker530.

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