Ukraine is using new mid-range strike drones to cripple Russian logistics, successfully damaging key bridges connecting Crimea to the southern front. The attacks, carried out by units like the 1st Separate Assault Regiment, use drones like the FirePoint FP-2 and Hippo. Russian-appointed officials have confirmed dozens of strikes on bridges in Armyansk and Chonhar, resulting in traffic closures and fuel shortages.
Crimean bridge drone strikes
- ▪Ukraine's 1st Separate Assault Regiment used drones to attack bridges in Armyansk, Henichesk, and Chonhar, the three chokepoints between Crimea and the southern front
- ▪The 1st Separate Assault Regiment coordinated some attacks with the 475th Assault Regiment and the Security Service of Ukraine's Alpha unit
Russian logistics infrastructure damage
- ▪The targeted bridges are critical to Russian logistics routes supplying the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions
- ▪As a result of the strikes, civilian passenger buses in the region were halted due to a fuel shortage
- ▪The targeted bridges are located between 50 and 75 miles from the front lines
Kremlin officials confirm attacks
- ▪Vladimir Saldo also reported roughly 20 drone attacks on the Chonhar bridge on June 9, 2026, leading to a traffic closure
- ▪Vladimir Saldo, the Kremlin-appointed governor of Kherson, confirmed at least 45 drone attacks on the Armyansk bridges on June 11, 2026
Mid-range drone tactical advantages
- ▪Mid-range drones allow Ukraine to strike Russian rear areas and harass critical supply lines
- ▪Ukraine is performing better on the battlefield than in recent years, causing Russia's military costs to surge while its gains shrink
- ▪These drones are cheaper to produce than long-distance drones but fly further and hit harder than typical quadcopters
- ▪The new drone tactics represent a shift from Ukraine's past reliance on sabotage or artillery systems like the US-made HIMARS to damage supply bridges
- ▪The Hippo drone, also used, has a 7.5-foot wingspan and carries a 77-pound thermobaric payload plus 88 pounds of explosives
- ▪The FirePoint FP-2 drone, used in the attacks, has an 18-foot wingspan and carries a 220-pound explosive payload
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