Over the past six months, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have used British-made unmanned aerial vehicles for the first time to strike targets deep within Russian territory.
Ukraine received drones from two British companies, one of which is the jet-powered Nyan drone manufactured by Callen-Lenz, while the name of the second company is not disclosed for security reasons. The Nyan drone has a range of about 240 kilometers, whereas the second device has a flight range of approximately 960 kilometers and is launched using a catapult system, enabling the devices to be launched one after another with minimal time intervals.
The use of British drones in the attacks has been confirmed by multiple sources within the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to which, as part of the long-range strike campaign, Ukrainian military personnel used British drones to hit oil refineries in Volgograd and Yaroslavl, as well as other military and industrial facilities and Wildberries warehouses.
BAE Systems stated that, as part of the United Kingdom's program to support Ukraine's defense, they supply a range of capabilities and solutions to the UK Ministry of Defense.
The first official use of these devices marks a significant step in long-range strike tactics, altering the technical balance of the conflict. It is important to understand that, despite the partial secrecy of the manufacturers, the supply of these types of weapons is directly linked to international defense programs, the further developments of which could have a substantial impact on the course of military operations.
