Zelensky praises new range of Ukrainian drones

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sees the extended range of Ukrainian combat drones as an important military boost for his country, which is under attack from Russia.

"In these weeks, many have already seen that the Russian system of warfare has weak points and that we can reach these weak points with our weapons," Zelensky said in his evening video message on Saturday in apparent reference to several successful attacks by Ukrainian drones on Russian refineries located far in the enemy's hinterland.

Three oil facilities in the Russian region of Samara on the Volga, more than 1,000 kilometres east of Ukraine, were attacked on Friday night.

With such attacks, Ukraine wants to disrupt Russian fuel production so that the military receives fewer supplies. Ukraine also wants to reduce the income from oil production, which Moscow uses to finance its war.

Little is known about the technical development of the Ukrainian drones; However, their successful use over long distances has only been proven in recent weeks.

Zelensky thanked the defence industry and the military for achieving this long-range capability. "From now on, Ukraine will always have its own strike power in the sky," he said in Kiev.

Ukraine has been fending off a full-scale Russian invasion for more than two years.