Overview of Russian-Ukrainian Strikes: Russia Boosts Its Missile Arsenal And Shifts To Reusable Drones (Videos)South Front

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On November 26-27, against the backdrop of discussions about possible peace initiatives, Russia and Ukraine continued to exchange strikes of moderate intensity. According to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense, on the night of November 27, Russian air defense systems destroyed 137 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over several regions of the country. For its part, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that during this period, the Russian side used 142 attack UAVs, of which 92 were shot down or suppressed by Ukrainian air defense.

At the same time, the US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, speaking at a closed meeting in Kyiv, stated that Russia has reached a level of long-range missile production that allows it not only to carry out regular strikes on Ukraine but also to form strategic stockpiles. According to The New York Times, this factor was the key argument in Driscoll’s appeal to European diplomats to accelerate the achievement of peace agreements. He also warned that the missile threat would only intensify, and the prolongation of the conflict could have consequences beyond Ukraine.

Despite talks of negotiations, the conflict retains the features of a grueling war of attrition, where the critical role is played by the sides’ ability to continuously supply the front with modern unmanned systems. An evolution is observed in this sphere: Russia is making a gradual transition from the mass use of disposable drones to more complex reusable strike and interceptor platforms. This is driven by the need to increase resilience to electronic warfare, expand functionality, and save high-precision components under sanctions pressure. Such systems, like the “Night Witch” strike hexacopter or the modular Bulldog-13, are capable of performing multiple missions, returning to base, which increases their effectiveness and value in the long term.

Strikes on Ukrainian Territory

Over two days, Russian strikes were carried out on a number of key regions and facilities.

November 26: In Kharkiv, missile strikes hit Thermal Power Plant 5 (TPP-5), UAV assembly workshops, air defense positions, and transport interchanges. A massive strike was carried out on Zaporizhzhia, where the targets included barracks, ammunition depots within the city, and local substations powering military-industrial complex facilities. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, the strike hit the railway infrastructure of the Synelnykove hub and an electrical substation; reports also mentioned the destruction of repair bases in Dnipro.

Footage of destruction at Naftogaz gas fields in central Ukraine following Russian shelling

November 27: The town of Velykodolynske in the Odesa region was attacked by a group of 15 kamikaze drones; the strike presumably targeted a railway train. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, strikes were recorded near the “Shakhtarska” mine, in the towns of Chaplyne and Petropavlivka, and in the village of Chumaky. Impacts were also noted in the Kharkiv and Sumy regions, as well as on a Ukrainian Armed Forces deployment point in the settlement of Dmytro-Daryivka on the Donetsk axis.

Strikes on Russian Territory

According to a summary from the Russian Ministry of Defense, on the evening and night of November 27, 137 Ukrainian UAVs were shot down over various regions. The largest number of drones were downed over Belgorod (56) and Kursk (36) regions. A significant UAV group was noted over the Samara region (18), where interception was carried out in the area of the Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery.

Reports indicated Ukrainian missile strikes on energy facilities in the Belgorod region, as well as a UAV attack on a Rosgvardia barracks in Grozny (Chechnya).

On November 26, Ukrainian UAVs attacked Cheboksary. According to Ukrainian sources, the target was the “VNIIR-Progress” enterprise, which, among other things, manufactures antennas for the Russian army’s electronic warfare systems.

Furthermore, Russian military sources report preparations for possible UAV launches from NATO countries towards St. Petersburg. Headquarters are working on a scenario in which reconnaissance drones could appear over the city, launched from the territory of Estonia or from neutral air corridors near the Gulf of Finland. According to sources, this will not be an attack, but a demonstration designed to test the reaction of Russian air defense. Inside the Ministry of Defense, it is believed that the northwestern direction is becoming a new front of hidden confrontation, and the probability of UAVs appearing near Russian borders is assessed as high.

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