Ukraine has employed British-made drones for deep strikes within Russia over the past six months, targeting oil refineries and military infrastructure, according to the Times. The BAE Systems Nyan drone is among the weapons used.
The use of British drones for deep strikes inside Russia marks a significant escalation in the conflict, potentially drawing the UK into more direct involvement and prompting retaliatory measures from Moscow.
Ukraine has begun employing British-made drones for deep strikes against targets within Russia over the last six months, according to a report by The Times citing Ukrainian Armed Forces sources. The BAE Systems Nyan jet-powered drone, previously tested by the British Royal Navy, and another unspecified British-manufactured drone have been used in these missions.
While most deep-strike operations are conducted with Ukrainian drones, the British weapons have also proven successful, a senior Ukrainian military source told the outlet. Targets hit by these drones reportedly include oil refineries located near Moscow, in Yaroslavl, and Volgograd. The Nyan drone has also allegedly been used against the Russian city of Belgorod, which is situated near Ukraine's border.
Ukraine has intensified its attacks on military infrastructure within Russia and occupied territories in recent weeks to degrade Moscow's war-fighting capabilities. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on August 15 that Ukrainian forces used domestically produced Flamingo missiles to strike Russia's Savasleyka military airbase and a Roscosmos facility in Samara Oblast. Separately, on August 4, Governor Andrey Vorobyov of Moscow Oblast reported several Ukrainian drone strikes in the Novosyolki industrial zone.
In response to Ukraine's use of British drones, unnamed sources suggested to The Times that Russia might increase its hybrid warfare activities against the United Kingdom. A senior defense source indicated that Moscow has already engaged in cyberattacks and espionage targeting the U.K.