Ukrainian Drone Commander: Attacking Russian Oil Refineries Has Been Surprisingly Easy
AI Analysis
Ukrainian drone operations against Russian infrastructure, particularly oil refineries, have become increasingly effective due to detailed intelligence on Russian air defense systems and tactics. The 413th Drone Regiment ('Reid') has successfully targeted facilities deep within Russian territory, exploiting weaknesses in Russia's layered defenses. Ukraine is demonstrating an ability to adapt and overcome Russian counter-drone measures through reconnaissance and target prioritization.
Key Takeaways
- Ukrainian drone commander Major Yevhen Karas reports a significant decrease in the difficulty of striking targets within Russia.
- Ukraine has developed a comprehensive understanding of Russian air defense structures, tactics, and vulnerabilities.
- Relatively small payloads (20kg) are sufficient to cause significant damage to oil refineries and terminals.
- Ukrainian long-range drones have a 2,000km range, enabling strikes deep inside Russia.
- Russia is struggling to adequately defend all critical infrastructure, leading to a 'blanket too short' scenario where defenses are spread thin.
Why It Matters
This indicates a growing asymmetry in the conflict, where Ukraine is leveraging relatively inexpensive drone technology to inflict significant economic and logistical damage on Russia. The success of these attacks highlights the limitations of current Russian air defense capabilities and could influence future defense procurement and deployment strategies. The demonstrated effectiveness of drone warfare will likely continue to shape battlefield tactics globally.
Ukrainian Drone Commander: Attacking Russian Oil Refineries Has Been Surprisingly Easy
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Ukrainian Drone Commander: Attacking Russian Oil Refineries Has Been Surprisingly Easy
22nd May 2026, 13:47
When Ukrainian drones hit an oil terminal in Leningrad Oblast, Major Yevhen Karas, the commander of the unit that carried out the attack, was surprised himself by how easy it was.
Over the years, Ukraine has learned the structure and tactics of Russian air defenses down to the finest detail, and has steadily worn them thinner with repeated attacks.
“It is safe to say that targets inside Russian territory are easier to hit than in previous years, because we know so much more about their air-defense systems, their tactics, how high or low we need to fly, where and when we need to use decoy drones, and so on,” 39-year-old Major Yevhen Karas told us.
“Russia’s air defenses have become so much weaker. Russia has become more transparent to our reconnaissance drones,” he added.
Karas, who began as a sotnik — a self-defense unit commander — on Maidan Square during Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity in 2014, is now one of Ukraine’s most experienced drone warriors. He was involved in the creation of Ukraine’s first separate drone units in the summer of 2022. He currently commands the 413th Drone Regiment, also known as Reid.
The oil terminal Karas referred to at the beginning of the story was in Ust-Luga, near the Estonian-Russian border, and is one of Russia’s largest and most modern. Ukrainian drones hit it in early April. After the attack, oil exports from there fell significantly for several weeks.
Easy Targets
According to Karas, it does not take much to set an oil terminal or refinery on fire. An attack drone does not need to carry hundreds of kilograms of explosives to do that. “Twenty kilograms is enough, if you hit the right spot,” Karas said. Ukrainian long-range drones are already capable of carrying that amount of explosives up to 2,000 kilometers.
“Yes, they sometimes add air defenses there, but in general it is a very easy target for us,” the major added, referring to attacks on facilities in Russia linked to oil refining and transport.
The 413th Regiment commanded by Karas has successfully attacked dozens of targets deep inside Russian territory. In addition to the port of Ust-Luga, these include the Tuapse oil refinery on the Black Sea, where a fire that lasted more than a week drew considerable attention, as well as Moscow and its surrounding areas.
Russian air defense has by now become like a blanket that is too short, Karas said: pull it whichever way you want, and either your feet are left sticking out or your upper body is uncovered.
“They put more air defenses around refineries, so we attack military plants; then they put air defenses there, but we attack airfields or refineries again,” Karas said. “They cannot protect everything at once. Their airfields are also much easier to attack and hit than in previous ye