{"id":383,"date":"2025-03-06T12:46:28","date_gmt":"2025-03-06T13:46:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/?p=383"},"modified":"2025-03-11T23:05:42","modified_gmt":"2025-03-11T23:05:42","slug":"rare-insight-into-ukrainian-unit-striking-putins-war-machine-1240-miles-inside-russia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/06\/rare-insight-into-ukrainian-unit-striking-putins-war-machine-1240-miles-inside-russia\/","title":{"rendered":"Rare insight into Ukrainian unit striking Putin\u2019s war machine 1,240 miles inside Russia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The 14th Unmanned Aerial Systems Regiment has been at the heart of game-changing developments in Ukraine\u2019s fight for freedom (Picture: 14th Separate UAS Regiment, @\u200c14reg_army\/Katie Ingham, Metro)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They are the battlefield innovators who have taken Ukraine<\/a>\u2019s fight against Vladimir Putin<\/a>\u2019s war machine deep inside Russia. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

A Ukrainian drone operator<\/a> has given a rare insight into the high stakes game of striking\u00a0targets up to 2,000km (1,242m) behind\u00a0enemy lines.\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Far from being detached from the reality of the fighting, the 14th Unmanned Aerial Systems Regiment is\u00a0a prized target for Russian air strikes<\/a>.\u00a0In the regiment\u2019s eyes, failure can often mean death. <\/p>\n

\u2018Nobody wants an Iskander ballistic missile to smack into their face,\u2019 an operator with the codename Shrek tells Metro.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The unit was formed in 2022 by Special Operations Forces<\/a> veterans, including an officer with the nickname Fidel, part of a battle group which was first to strike the enemy\u2019s deep rear with drones, and another with the alias \u2018Casper\u2019, previously with the 73rd Naval Centre of Operations.<\/a><\/p>\n

Now part of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), the high-tech regiment <\/a>operates virtually all of the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) types in existence.<\/p>\n

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A drone operation taking place under the cover of darkness on one of the highly complex missions undertaken by the 14th (Picture: 14th Separate UAS Regiment, @\u200c14reg_army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Shrek spoke before Donald Trump froze military aid and intelligence co-operation with Ukraine,<\/a> but there is no question that the battlefield innovators will fight on from the skies, come what may.<\/p>\n

In their favour is an \u2018adapt or die\u2019 ethos and a burgeoning drone production industry that is one of the more resilient parts of the country\u2019s defence industrial base.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018We fly FPV [first-person view] and ISR [intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance] drones, strike UAVs such as Switchblade 600, deep strike systems, and so on, both provided by our partners and made domestically,\u2019 Shrek explains.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m proud to say that our unit started in 2022 as the very first experimental battalion specializing in unmanned systems worldwide.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018The know-how we developed and spread has already changed the nature of our battlefield and 21st Century warfare in general.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

Spectacular hits by Ukrainian drone operators include one on a large ammunition warehouse in Toropets, Tver Oblast, around 380km (236m) inside Russia. The huge arsenal was \u2018literally wiped off the face of the Earth\u2019 according to a Security Service of Ukraine source who spoke to the Kyiv Independent.<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The long-range strikes inside Russia require meticulous planning (Picture: 14th Separate UAS Regiment, @\u200c14reg_army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Nowhere is safe for the operators\u2019<\/h2>\n

On Friday, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/a> arrived back in Ukraine following his highly charged trips to the White House and London, explosions rocked the Ufimsky oil refinery in Ufa,<\/a> a city near the Ural mountains, around 1,400km inside Russia.<\/p>\n

The blasts were so strong locals thought an earthquake had struck, with flames rising above the city\u2019s skyline as it burned overnight.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The strike, like many others targeting fuel plants, was not claimed by Ukraine, although the military and security arms have often reacted to reports with wry comments. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Referring to typical Russian reports blaming damage to facilities on falling debris from shot-down drones, Shrek remarks,\u00a0\u2018Ukrainian-made debris appears to be very explosive.\u2019\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

He also revealed the meticulous\u00a0planning and danger involved with each mission \u2014 even though he is not hunkered down on the frontline. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The 14th\u2019s permanent location is in Dnipro, with Shrek and his comrades living remotely within the eastern city or nearby.<\/p>\n

\u2018A deep strike drone operator may sound like a comfortable job \u2014 I\u2019m not in a cold trench at the frontline shooting Russians with my rifle, after all,\u2019 he says.\u00a0\u2018But it\u2019s not that easy at all. <\/p>\n

\u2018With enemy recon drones in our airspace, nowhere is safe for an operator, and we\u2019re a high-priority target because we\u2019re efficient.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Every operation is organized very scrupulously: we take our time picking our targets based on intel, we carefully plan routes to the launch sites and for exfiltration, we move stealthily even though it\u2019s our own territory. <\/p>\n

\u2018Nobody wants an Iskander ballistic missile to smack into their face, you know \u2014 and they fly really fast.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Havoc deep behind enemy lines<\/h3>\n
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August 9. 2022<\/span>Crimea air base attack<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

At least eight Russian war planes were damaged or destroyed in an attack on Saky airbase. The site lies more than 100 miles from the frontline.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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december 4, 2022<\/span> Engels air base attack<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

Attacks take place on two air bases deep inside Russia. Heavy bombers are damaged in what is said to be Ukraine\u2019s most daring operation at that point.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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February 28, 2023<\/span>Oil depot fire<\/strong><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

A large fire breaks out at the facility in the southern Russian city of Tuapse, Two drones exploded at the terminal in the early hours, according to local reports.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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December 22, 2024<\/span>steel horse explosion<\/strong><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

The sky was lit up with apocalyptic colours after an attack on the repeatedly-hit Steel Horse oil facility, which supplies Russia\u2019s armed forces, in the Oryol region.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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January 14, 2025<\/span>Multi-region blitz<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

Military-industrial facilities across a vast span of Russia, including the Engels air base, are targeted in what Kyiv says is the largest drone attack of the war to date.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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January 24, 2025<\/span> <\/strong>Microelectronics factory<\/span><\/div>\n

The 14th and other Ukrainian units hit the \u2018Kremniy El\u2019 microelectronics factory in Bryansk. The regiment says that 90% of the facility\u2019s production goes to Russia\u2019s military industry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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March 2, 2025<\/span> <\/strong>Ufimsky facility explosions<\/span><\/div>\n

Explosions rock the facility in Ufa, a city near the Ural mountains 1,400 miles inside Russia. The Bashneft-owned plant processes 168,000 barrels of oil a day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018It\u2019s nothing like the war movies\u2019<\/h2>\n

Social media videos of huge explosions lighting up the night sky and barely plausible accounts of \u2018falling debris\u2019\u00a0from Russian authorities are the open source results of a mission accomplished. <\/p>\n

Behind the scenes, there\u2019s no time for \u2018big celebrations\u2019 in a war that is now in its fourth year, just a sense of satisfaction at a job well done. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018As for the focus, well, I\u2019m doing my job,\u2019 Shrek says. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018You\u2019re not sleeping during your office hours, are you? \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Sure, there\u2019s anticipation of a big hit every time, partially that\u2019s what keeps me going. When the hit goes through, it\u2019s 100% worth any fatigue.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

Asked if there\u2019s any similarity between the 14th\u2019s workplace\u00a0and the \u2018ops rooms\u2019 seen in action movies, where surgical strikes are monitored on big screens by intel and military types, Shrek says the enemy is more likely to reveal the details.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018No, no, it\u2019s nothing like war movies, actually,\u2019 he says. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018How do we know? Russians tell us themselves: once there\u2019s a big hit somewhere in their territory, their socials are booming with photos and videos of the strike. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Their officials usually write it off as \u201cour air defence shot down everything, that\u2019s just debris\u201d \u2014 well, Ukrainian-made debris appears to be very explosive.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The Commander of the 1st Battalion, codenamed \u2018Casper\u2019, is credited with laying the foundations of the 14th (Picture: 14th Separate UAS Regiment, @\u200c14reg_army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The operative was asked by Metro <\/strong>what it was like seeing a successful hit, which often has\u00a0devastating results that can be seen for days.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018What do I feel? Satisfaction for a job well done, I guess,\u2019 he replies. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018The enemy\u2019s hurt, and we\u2019re one step closer to victory. <\/p>\n

\u2018There\u2019s no time for big celebrations though, that\u2019s for after we win.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

Shrek confirmed the astonishing leap that Kyiv\u2019s UAS forces have made in taking the fight deep inside Russia\u2019s lawful borders. \u00a0<\/p>\n

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The Ufimsky oil refinery is roughly 1,500km from Ukraine (Picture: Metro)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018They\u2019re good, but we\u2019re better\u2019<\/h2>\n

Experimental drones produced back in 2022 when the regiment was founded were only able to hit targets 120km away. <\/p>\n

Today, the 14th, working alongside other Ukrainian military and security formations,\u00a0can strike targets at a range of up to 2,000km over the border. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018I believe Ukraine currently has the largest UAV fleet and the most advanced UAS technology in the world,\u2019 Shrek says. <\/p>\n

\u2018We have no other option but to improve our tech day by day, and luckily our civilian engineers and inventors are eager to help us out.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018As for avoiding enemy air defence, two things: one, we don\u2019t underestimate the enemy \u2014 they\u2019re good, but we\u2019re better. <\/p>\n

\u2018Two, every deep strike is a very complex operation involving various AFU units, with different areas of responsibility. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018The strike itself is just the tip of the arrow, and the metaphorical bow is a whole lot of meticulous coordination and a bit of luck.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Ukraine has developed its own research and development capabilities to upgrade its uncrewed aerial systems (Picture: 14th Separate UAS Regiment, @\u200c14reg_army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The results have proved costly for Putin\u2019s military infrastructure, hitting the fuel plants and other facilities funding the war and keeping the Kremlin\u2019s war machine moving.\u00a0In the strategically valuable western Black Sea region, air and sea drones have helped push out Russia\u2019s far superior naval fleet <\/a>and reopen the grain shipping route. \u00a0<\/p>\n

In a report for the Atlantic Council think-tank, Victoria Vdovychenko and Alexander Khara conclude that drones\u00a0could \u2018seriously degrade Russia\u2019s essential military capabilities and impact the course of the war.\u2019 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

While the 14th operates across the front, including in the Kursk salient,<\/a> the long-range strikes are a \u2018cost-efficient way\u2019 of disrupting Moscow\u2019s ability to continue supplying the all-out attack.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Ukrainian drone operator \u2018Ukie\u2019 is part of the 14th regiment within the newly formed uncrewed aerial systems forces (Picture: 14th Separate UAS Regiment, @14reg_army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Failure too often means death\u2019<\/h2>\n

\u2018Deep strike operations are integral to this know-how,\u2019 Shrek says. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018It is an efficient way of striking the enemy\u2019s deep rear, way beyond the immediate line of contact, while also preserving the lives of the operators. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018A deep strike\u2019s goal is usually strategic: instead of targeting enemy troops directly, we disrupt their logistics, destroy their supplies, and demolish their production lines, causing them much more indirect damage. <\/p>\n

\u2018It is a way of compensating for our lack of old-school strategic aviation \u2014 a much more cost-efficient way, I might add.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Fidel co-founded the 14th UAS Regiment after a background in the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine (Picture: 14th Separate UAS Regiment, @14reg_army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As the White House holds America\u2019s military support in the balance, the\u00a0regiment\u2019s mantra of adapt or die will undoubtedly keep it\u00a0in the fight.<\/p>\n

British support may also become even more critical, with the ally and Lativa co-leading a coalition supporting Kyiv\u2019s UAS warfare component. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Well, to me this war is all about you adapt, develop and grow or you fail,\u2019 Shrek says. <\/p>\n

\u2018You manage to invent previously unheard of ways of hurting the enemy \u2014 or you fail.<\/p>\n

\u2018You keep developing this tech, accounting for the enemy\u2019s adaptation \u2014 or you fail. And failure here too often means death. <\/p>\n

\u2018As our regiment\u2019s commander \u201cCharlie\u201d likes to say, \u201cyou gotta do what you can where you are with what you have.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018We push the limits of what we have until these limits break.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

The UK Ministry of Defence announced today that the government has signed a deal with an Anglo-American defence company to provide Ukraine\u2019s armed forces with more advanced attack drones to tackle Russian aggression in the Black Sea.<\/p>\n

Defence Secretary John Healey said the work with Anduril UK was part of \u2018putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position to prevent any return to Russian aggression\u2019 after a \u2018secure\u2019 peace.<\/p>\n

Mr Healey added: \u2018With a \u00a32.26 billion loan from seized Russian assets, plus \u00a31.6 billion worth of air defence missiles announced for Ukraine in the last week, the UK is continuing to show leadership in securing a lasting peace for Ukraine.\u2019<\/p>\n

Do you have a story you would like to share? Contact\u00a0<\/strong>josh.layton@metro.co.uk<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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Arrow<\/title><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2023\/09\/13\/ukrainian-hunter-killers-carrying-out-drone-hits-on-putins-forces-19493379\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\">The Ukrainian \u2018hunter killers\u2019 carrying out kamikaze drone strikes on Putin\u2019s forces<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><title>Arrow<\/title><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/01\/17\/masked-drone-ace-hitting-putin-hurts-1-000-miles-inside-russia-22382865\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\">Masked drone ace is hitting Putin where it hurts 1,000 miles inside Russia<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><title>Arrow<\/title><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2023\/03\/27\/ukraines-mystery-black-box-weapon-making-itself-felt-on-russians-18508648\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\">Ukraine\u2019s mystery \u2018black box\u2019 weapon is \u2018making itself fully felt on Russians\u2019<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 14th Unmanned Aerial Systems Regiment has been at the heart of game-changing developments in Ukraine\u2019s fight for freedom (Picture: 14th Separate UAS Regiment, @\u200c14reg_army\/Katie Ingham, Metro) They are the battlefield innovators who have taken Ukraine\u2019s fight against Vladimir Putin\u2019s war machine deep inside Russia. \u00a0\u00a0 A Ukrainian drone operator has given a rare insight […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":300,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-russia-ukraine"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=383"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":400,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383\/revisions\/400"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}