At a secret location away from prying eyes, Ukrainian engineers test a long-range drone called Raybird.
The machine, which looks like a mini plane with wings, is placed on a launchpad, stretched like an arrow on a crossbow and then shot into the air.
Raybird can fly non-stop for more than 20 hours and cover a distance of more than 1,000km (620 miles). It carries out reconnaissance missions, and can also destroy targets both on the frontline and deep inside Russia.
Among their targets are oil refineries and fuel depots.
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But after Russia and Ukraine reached separate agreements with the US on a partial ceasefire, missions like these should stop.
As well as agreeing to a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea following talks this week in Saudi Arabia, the two countries committed to stop attacking each other’s energy infrastructure – something that had theoretically already been agreed.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would implement these agreements immediately.
However, Oleksiy from Skyeton, the company that develops the Raybird, doubts that Moscow would adhere to the ceasefire.
“[Russians punch you in the face, then the next day they make an agreement but ask to tie up your hands. So the possibility that they will continue fighting remains,” explains Oleksiy.
Yet, this deal will also bring relief to Russia.
It’s estimated that this year alone, Ukraine carried out more than 30 attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure using drones and other weapons.
They’ve recently hit some of the country’s largest oil facilities, like the Ufa oil refinery about 1,500km (932 miles) from the front line and Tuapse plant in Krasnodar region.
Russia’s oil refining capacity has dropped by about 10% as a result of drone attacks, according to Reuters.
And Moscow’s recent decision to extend the ban on petroleum exports shows that they’re feeling the pain.
Ukraine’s arsenal to carry out deep strikes is only growing. President Zelensky recently announced that Ukrainian engineers have designed a drone that has a range of 3,000 km (1,860 miles). That means it could reach not only Moscow, but even locations in Siberia.
