Top 6 longest-range Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries
A fighter from the USF's Rarog brigade prepares a drone for a combat mission (Photo: The Ukrainian Armed Forces' Unmanned Systems Forces via Facebook)
Ukrainian long-range drones struck Russia's Ukhta oil refinery in the Komi Republic on Aug. 10, 2025 — 1,800 km from Ukraine — marking the farthest recorded attack. NV ranks the top six longest-range hits on Russian refineries in the second half of 2025.
The ranking includes:
- Nov. 11: Orsk refinery in Orenburg Oblast — 1,500 km
- Sept. 18: Salavat refinery in Bashkortostan — 1,400 km
- March 3: Ufa refinery in Bashkortostan — 1,400 km
- Sept. 13: Novo-Ufimsky refinery in Bashkortostan — 1,400 km
- Jan. 11: Nizhnekamsk refinery in Tatarstan — 1,300 km
The Unmanned Systems Forces also reported a sharp rise in effectiveness in the second half of 2025. Monthly figures for Russian personnel killed/wounded include:
- June: 2,548 killed, 4,521 engaged
- July: 3,018 killed, 5,134 engaged
- August: 3,165 killed, 5,354 engaged
- September: 3,787 killed, 6,659 engaged
- October: 7,729 killed, 8,060 engaged
- November: 4,868 killed, 8,473 engaged
- December: 6,462 killed, 12,037 engaged
Targets destroyed/wounded showed similar growth:
- June: 5,024 destroyed, 19,653 engaged
- July: 5,887 destroyed, 23,433 engaged
- August: 6,566 destroyed, 21,266 engaged
- September: 7,896 destroyed, 23,532 engaged
- October: 9,055 destroyed, 26,067 engaged
- November: 8,735 destroyed, 23,450 engaged
- December: 10,919 destroyed, 30,519 engaged
Since its inception, the forces have hit 168,000 Russian targets worth an estimated $20 billion, including 50,238 troops, 532 tanks, 7,697 vehicles, 5,548 motorcycles, and about 2,500 artillery pieces.
The forces also struck more than 350 targets inside Russia, inflicting monthly losses on the Russian military estimated at $3 billion.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy first announced the creation of the Unmanned Systems Forces on Feb. 6, 2024, directing their integration into the Armed Forces as a separate branch.
According to the head of state, this decision was made with the aim of more effective planning of combat operations, improving logistics, and expanding drone production.
On June 3, 2025, Maj. Robert “Magyar” Brovdi was appointed commander, succeeding Vadym Sukharevskyi.
On June 20, 2025, the USF announced the formation of a unified grouping of all units.
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