The latest Ukrainian drone Liutyi (Fierce) launched at a target — its first appearance in media
Since the beginning of 2024, Ukraine has begun to use new attack drones called Liutyi (Fierce) that can fly over 600 kilometers (373 miles). Secret long-range drones operated by the Main Intelligence Directorate have already struck dozens of strategic Russian targets.
This was reported by CNN.
How the Main Intelligence Directorate launch long-range drones at Russia
The article notes that the journalists spent several days with the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) team preparing to launch more than 100 attack drones in Russia on the night of September 29.
Intelligence officers said that the main target of the latest drones was ammunition depots, namely train cars loaded with Iranian missiles that were parked on the depot's territory. The Ukrainian intelligence service found out that the prime target was located on the outskirts of the Russian village of Kotluban in the Volgograd region. The distance from the territory of Ukraine to the designated target is more than 600 kilometers (373 miles).
Referring to the words of representatives of the GUR, the publication noted that the planning of routes to Russia takes place from a secret location. As is known, the Liutyi drone can be programmed to more than one thousand different way points to avoid Russian air defense.
In addition to the Liutyi drones, the Special Forces also use other UAVs, including the domestic Rubaka (Cutter) drone. According to the Ukrainian Intelligence, these drones are very important for the successful completion of any task. The goal is very simple — to suppress Russian air defense and divert attention from the Liutyi. In order to do so, Ukrainian intelligence officials are trying to make a "mix" of drones and launch them from different distances and locations.
"About 30% of all launched drones perform decoy missions, and the Liytyi are the main ones that are intended to target the village of Kotluban. In other parts of Ukraine, about 80 other Defense Intelligence employees are preparing 90 other drones to be launched," the article says.
In addition, it is reported that in 2024, Ukrainian drones carried out more than 7 thousand strikes on Russian territory, including on important military facilities. Some of these attacks reached targets more than 1.700 kilometers (1.050 miles) from Ukraine's border.
At the same time, the Main Intelligences Directorate says that Western weapons could improve the effectiveness of such missions. According to intelligence officials, such a combination would allow for more effective attacks on Russian territory.
What is known about the Liytyi drone
In October 2022, Ukroboronprom publicly announced the development of the Liytyi for the first time. This strike drone weighs over 200 kg (441 pounds) and can carry a 75 kg (165.4 pounds) warhead over a distance of more than 1 thousand kilometers (620 miles).
Already in November 2023, Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin said that Ukraine had launched mass production of attack drones similar to Iran's Shahed-136. He was referring to the production of the Liytyi drones.
According to a number of media outlets, the approximate cost of such a drone is twice as high as the previous Bober (Beaver) attack drone. The latter is known to have been purchased by Serhii Prytula's foundation for 4 million hryvnias per board (about 100 thousand USD).
On September 29, Russian regions were massively attacked by drones. Fires broke out at the Yeysk airfield and the Kotluban arsenal.
We also reported that as a result of a drone attack on ammunition depots in Toropets, Tver region, on September 18, Russia lost enough ammunition for 2–3 months of war in Ukraine. This development undermines Russian military logistics, hindering their ability to sustain the war for a longer period.