Masked drone ace is hitting Putin where it hurts 1,000 miles inside Russia

A new era of warfare is being pursued by Ukraine’s uncrewed systems formations (Picture: Reuters/Come Back Alive Foundation/14th Separate UAV Regiment, @14reg_army)

A Ukrainian drone operator stands alongside one of the innovative unmanned aerial vehicles used for strikes deep inside Russia.

The specialist named ‘Ukie’ has taken part in hitting oil bases, ammunition warehouses and other military objects on enemy ground.

One of the farthest Ukrainian attacks inside Vladimir Putin’s country was reported to have taken place 1,800km (1,100 miles) over the border.

The operator is part of the 14th Separate UAV Regiment, one of the most technologically advanced units within the Armed Forces of Ukraine.  

The formation says it is the only military unit in the world operating with nearly all types of existing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and is creating a ‘new chapter’ in warfare. 

Ukie, whose full name was not given, was pictured alongside a long-range attack drone called ‘Lutyi’, which means ‘Fierce’ in English.

The pictures were taken to promote a checked shirt produced by the Come Back Alive Foundation — which supports the Ukrainian military —and clothing manufacturer M-TAC.

A Ukrainian drone operator is part of a regiment within the newly formed uncrewed systems forces (Picture: 14th Separate UAV Regiment, @14reg_army)

The charity said that Ukie ‘loves his job’ and together with his drone ‘friend’ has been ensuring that the facilities in Russia ‘are going up in flames.’ 

Notable strikes by Ukrainian drone operators include attacks in the Tula Region, which lies more than 1,000km across the eastern border.

Orange smoke was seen erupting over the Aleksinsky chemical plant, which makes gunpowder and ammunition for the military, after one such operation in November. 

In September, a large ammunition warehouse in Toropets, Tver Oblast, around 380km (236m) inside Russia, was ‘literally wiped off the face of the Earth’ according to a Security Service of Ukraine source who spoke to the Kyiv Independent.  

Engels Air Base, a hub for Russian strategic bombers in the Saratov region, has repeatedly been targeted by long-range drones.

In December 2022, Metro reported how two Tu-95 Bear heavy bombers were damaged at the base, which lies south-east of Moscow.    

One of the most spectacular attacks was a hit on the Krisal oil refinery, also in Saratov, where a blaze persisted for five days as specialist teams worked to extinguish it.  

Ukie posed by a drone to promote a shirt made by two Ukrainian organisations (14th Separate UAV Regiment, @14reg_army)

The attack on January 8 was followed by the facility being targeted again this week during what Kyiv described as its ‘most massive’ strike on Russia’s military-industrial complex so far.

Oil storage plants and refineries, chemical and ammunition plants in and around the Bryansk, Saratov, Tula and Tatarstan regions as deep as 1,100km (700m) inside Russia were hit in the early hours of Tuesday, according to Ukrainian sources. 

Drone operators from the 14th joined other Ukrainian elements in the further strikes on the Engels air base infrastructure. The regiment said it had taken part in a ‘multi-day comprehensive operation to reduce the enemy’s strategic aviation capabilities.’ 

Tanks with ‘rare’ aviation fuel were reported to have gone up in flames, with footage showing flames and smoke erupting into the night sky.  

In a post on social media, the regiment said: ‘We are doing our best to ensure that Engels fire crews, who have just put out the flames after the previous attack, are not left without work in the face of the increasingly difficult economic situation in Russia.’ 

The oil storage base has been burning for four days as of today, according to a post by security expert Maria Avdeeva on X.  

One of the longest-known strikes of the war to date targeted the Oleyna air base in Russia, home to Tu-22M3 bombers, according to a report by United24, Ukraine’s official fundraising platform.

Oleyna lies in Murmansk 1,800km from the Ukrainian border.

Kyiv’s forces have also demonstrated a capability to reach Moscow, with one such attack in November reportedly injuring one person and forcing three major airports to divert flights.  

The foundation, which was established in 2014 during the Maidan Revolution and the start of the Donbas war, is providing vast quantities of all-terrain vehicles and high-tech kit to the military, along with training.

Previous initiatives include the secretive ‘black box’ project which used donations to support sabotage missions behind Russian lines.

The public-military collaboration ended in December 2022 after raising 230 million Ukrainian hryvnias (£500,000) for intelligence operations. 

The charity is presently fundraising for the downing of 1,000 Russian reconnaissance UAVs through its ‘Dronefall’ project.  

The aim is to carry out the task using upgraded first-person view drones, which require equipment including pickup trucks, radios and generators, instead of million-dollar missiles.  

A serviceman in front of a Bayraktar strike drone donated by Come Back Alive (Picture: Come Back Alive/@BackAndAlive)

Oleksandra Haivoronska, growth and partnerships director at the foundation, told Metro: ‘The ability to conduct long-range drone strikes is a pivotal element of Ukraine’s defence strategy, enabling targeted disruption of Russian military infrastructure.

‘These strikes are instrumental in degrading Russia’s operational capacity by targeting key logistics hubs, ammunition depots and other critical assets with precision and impact.

‘One of the important aspects of this capability is the Black Box project, initiated by the Come Back Alive Foundation. Black Box represents their first major investment in Ukrainian long-range kamikaze drones.’

The publically-funded project began in 2022 with the purchase of 10 UAVs for 40 million hryvnia.

Ms Haivoronska said: ”When these drones demonstrated outstanding operational results, the foundation scaled up the initiative, launching production and a public fundraiser that raised UAH 230 million in less than a month, with an additional UAH 10 million from general accounts.

‘In the first eight months of 2023 alone, Black Box caused over $900 million (£736 million) in damage to Russian forces, according to Ukraine’s intelligence services.’

Smoke and flames rise from a Russian facility in an image shared by Come Back Alive (Picture: Come Back Alive/@BackAndAlive)

The long-range ‘Bober’ kamikaze drones have completed missions across territory occupied by Russia and within the federation’s legal borders.

‘For example, they struck a key military-industrial facility producing electronics for missiles such as the Kh-31, Kh-35 and Kh-59, which are launched from tactical aircraft,’ Ms Haivoronska said.

‘Additionally, they targeted a storage facility where Russians kept missile components for the Iskander ballistic missile systems.’

Ms Haivoronska told Metro that the Black Box project was having a marked impact on the Russian war machine.

‘The impact of this project is remarkable,’ she said.

‘UAH 280 million invested through Black Box has caused significant disruptions to Russia’s military capabilities, highlighting the synergy between innovation, public support and strategic execution.

‘The drones supported by Black Box are tailored for long-range kamikaze missions, delivering precise, high-value strikes that undermine Russia’s ability to sustain its aggression.’

Ms Haivoronska also emphasised the impact of the Dronefall project in degrading Moscow’s ability to attack Ukraine with kamikaze UAVS.

”Four months after its launch, the project has already achieved notable success, with more than 400 Russian UAVs neutralized,’ she said.

‘This initiative not only mitigates the enemy’s intelligence-gathering capabilities but also ensures that Ukrainian forces maintain a tactical edge on the battlefield.

‘Long-range drone strikes, bolstered by initiatives like Black Box, and counter-UAV operations under Dronefall, are reshaping the battlefield.

‘They allow Ukraine to disrupt enemy operations while safeguarding its positions, demonstrating the power of innovation and collective defence efforts in securing the nation’s sovereignty.’

The uncrewed systems teams have successfully hit targets deep inside Russian territory (Picture: 14th Separate UAV Regiment, @14reg_army)

Britain and Latvia co-lead a European coalition supporting Ukraine’s UAV warfare component.  

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Defence announced that 30,000 drones would be sent to Ukraine through £45 million of funding from the UK, Denmark, Netherlands, Latvia and Sweden.  

Kyiv’s armed forces have reconfigured to encompass the new era in technological warfare, including through the establishment of the Unmanned Systems Forces by Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February 2024.

The military branch, to which the 14th Regiment belongs, deploys unmanned aerial, surface, subsurface and ground systems and robotics in combat operations.  

Asked about the effectiveness of the long-range UAV strikes, a representative of the 14th told Metro: ‘Burning fuel and ammo depots all over Russia speak for themselves.’ 

According to a report by Victoria Vdovychenko and Alexander Khara for the Atlantic Council, a New York-based think-tank, correctly deployed drones in sufficient numbers on the frontline and inside Russia ‘are capable of making a meaningful difference’ in the conflict.

The authors note that there are no ‘silver bullets’ in the conflict but conclude that the tactic could ‘seriously degrade Russia’s essential military capabilities and impact the course of the war.’  

Do you have a story you would like to share? Contact josh.layton@metro.co.uk

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