Ukraine has used British-made drones for strikes deep inside Russia over the past six months, according to sources in the Ukrainian armed forces cited by The Sunday Times. The newspaper said the drones include the Nyan jet-powered drone developed by Callen-Lenz, a company within BAE Systems, and another British-made device whose manufacturer was not named for security reasons.
The Sunday Times reported that the British drones were used in attacks on oil refineries in Volgograd and Yaroslavl. Sources cited by The Moscow Times said that after a strike on July 31, the Volgograd refinery halted oil processing, and on August 6, drones hit tanks at the Yaroslavl refinery. Other sources mentioned strikes on plants in the Moscow region and Belgorod.
The Nyan has a range of more than 240 kilometers, while the second British drone can fly more than 950 kilometers. A senior Ukrainian military official called the use of these drones successful, noting they proved more effective than previously supplied Storm Shadow missiles due to their longer range and the ability to launch them in large groups to overwhelm Russian air defenses. Each drone costs an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 pounds sterling.
The Sunday Times noted that the use of British drones signals London's readiness to increase military support despite Moscow's threats of escalation. However, most long-range strikes by Ukraine are still carried out with domestically produced drones with a range of up to 1,800 kilometers, a source told the newspaper.