Ukrainian drone strikes are devastating Russian communities. The city of Sevastopol, the largest in Russian-occupied Crimea, is the latest community to be hit, losing power as Ukrainian drones strike energy facilities in the region.

Given the immense symbolic value attached to Crimea by both Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrainians — it was the first area of Ukraine annexed in 2014 — the disruption was of great symbolic value.

Furthermore, drones damaging both the Russian economy and Putin’s pride are an increasingly common phenomenon in the conflict.

Ukraine has used drones with notable effect throughout the conflict. In the initial phases of the war in 2022, Ukraine successfully used Turkish-made Bayraktars to disrupt Russia’s invasion timeline. Ukraine’s greatest advancements, however, have come from its own drone industry.

Ukraine holds many cards

Ukraine’s domestic drone industry now ranks among the best in the world. Drones have given Ukraine considerable cards to play in not only the war with Russia, but also in relations with other countries as well.

Ukraine’s drone technology is so advanced, in fact, that Gulf countries consulted Ukrainian officials on countering Iran’s drone attacks during the recent Iran-United States-Israel war.

Ukraine’s significant success with drones is creating a fixation on the technology’s capabilities........

© The Conversation