This announcement was made in a statement from the Unmanned Systems Forces Command, released on Jan. 31.
“This is a unique development that changes the rules of the game on the battlefield,” the statement reads.
“Russian propaganda continually claims to have shot down such aircraft, but the explosions at [Russian] defense industry facilities, oil refineries, and ammunition depots tell a different story.”
Additionally, the command said that operators of the 14th Separate UAV Regiment have been striking the enemy's rear for over a year, covering several hundred, and even thousands, of kilometers.
The military also urged the media to use only information from verified sources. They stressed that many Unmanned Systems Forces operations cannot be publicly disclosed due to their critical importance in targeting the enemy's strategic assets.
On Jan. 30, Defense Express reported that Ukraine has been using drones capable of carrying 250-kilogram bombs to strike Russian territory for some time.