September 18, 2024 – In a military operation that has stunned the world, Ukraine launched a massive strike using approximately 100 long-range drones, targeting a major Russian ammunition depot in Toropets, located in the Tver region of western Russia. The drones, each loaded with explosives, flew 500 kilometers through Russian airspace, evading detection and setting off a series of secondary explosions that destroyed missiles and bombs stored at the site. The strike resulted in a massive mushroom cloud, eerily reminiscent of nuclear weapons tests, creating widespread shock and concern.
This attack marks a new chapter in Ukraine’s drone warfare strategy, one that has proven increasingly effective in recent months as Ukraine continues to strike deep into Russian territory. The operation underscores the transformative power of drones in modern conflict, especially when used to attack vulnerable, high-value targets like ammunition depots, fuel depots, and airbases. While Russia has a vast network of defenses, it has become evident that no nation, no matter how large, can defend every potential target, especially when those targets lie deep within its own borders.
Drones in Modern Warfare
Ukraine’s use of drones has evolved into a cornerstone of its defense strategy, particularly in the face of Russia’s ongoing military aggression. Drones offer a unique advantage in asymmetric warfare: they are relatively inexpensive, hard to detect, and capable of inflicting significant damage. Ukraine has specialized in using drones that fly low and slow, making them difficult for radar systems to detect. These drones can be piloted remotely or operate autonomously, allowing Ukraine to strike deep into adversary territory with minimal risk to human operators.
This latest strike on Toropets is just one in a series of drone attacks that have targeted high-value installations across Russia. Over the past year, Ukrainian drones have successfully hit airbases, electrical power grids, and fuel depots. These attacks not only damage critical infrastructure but also have a significant psychological impact, sending a clear message to Moscow that its territory is no longer invulnerable to enemy strikes.
The Toropets strike demonstrated the key tactical principle that if an adversary can strike deep into enemy territory, they will always find undefended targets. This principle has been at the core of Ukraine’s drone strategy, as the vastness of Russia’s territory makes it impossible to defend every potential target effectively.
Russia’s Drone Arsenal: Shifting the Balance of Power
While Ukraine has garnered significant attention for its drone capabilities, Russia, too, has relied heavily on drones to achieve its goals in what it refers to as the “Special Military Operation” (SMO) in Ukraine. Russian forces have employed a wide array of drones for both reconnaissance and strike purposes. The development and deployment of breakthrough drone technology have often given Russia the edge it needed on the battlefield, particularly during periods of Ukrainian counteroffensives.
One of the most significant developments in Russia’s drone warfare capabilities has been the Lancet AI-enabled kamikaze drone. This autonomous drone can recognize and attack targets on its own, without requiring direct human intervention. The Lancet drone became a game-changer for Russian forces after a series of battlefield setbacks in late 2022, providing them with the ability to strike high-value Ukrainian targets with precision.
Similarly, the Geran-2 long-range kamikaze drone, believed to be of Iranian origin, has been instrumental in giving Russia the ability to conduct airstrikes against Ukraine’s well-developed air defense systems. The Geran-2 drones fly long distances, much like Ukraine’s deep-strike drones, allowing Russia to target Ukrainian infrastructure and military installations from a safe distance.
Russia’s reliance on drones does not end there. The Orlan-10 and Supercam drones have been used extensively for reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions, augmenting Russia’s relatively weak space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. These drones provide Russian commanders with real-time battlefield intelligence, helping to direct artillery strikes and other military operations more effectively.
Russia’s Latest Drone Innovation: The Granat-4-E System
On September 19, the Izhevsk Unmanned Systems Research And Production Associated LLC (IZHBS), a subsidiary of the Kalashnikov concern, unveiled the Granat-4-E portable remote monitoring and relay complex at a defense expo in Izhevsk. This new system is designed to provide Russian forces with round-the-clock reconnaissance capabilities using a combination of photo, video, and thermal imaging. The system can transmit real-time data across distances of tens of kilometers, allowing for effective surveillance of enemy positions.
The Granat-4 system includes a surveillance drone equipped with a gyro-stabilized optical-electronic target designation system, a ground control station mounted on a Kamaz vehicle, and a relay drone that extends the surveillance drone’s operating radius. The system has already been tested on the battlefield as part of Russia’s SMO, where it proved its effectiveness in detecting and targeting Ukrainian military vehicles, including the highly touted American M1A1 Abrams tank.
In May 2024, the Granat-4 surveillance drone played a pivotal role in the destruction of an Abrams tank. The drone marked the tank with laser illumination, allowing Russian artillery to destroy it using a Krasnopol semi-active laser homing (SALH) guided shell. This marked the first confirmed combat use of the Granat-4 system with laser illumination, a development that could have far-reaching implications for the future of drone and artillery cooperation in modern warfare.
The ability to use a drone to mark targets for precision-guided artillery strikes represents a major leap forward in battlefield technology. Tanks, which have traditionally played a dominant role in positional warfare, are increasingly vulnerable to modern drones and precision-guided munitions. While some tanks are now outfitted with steel cages to protect against kamikaze drones, there is little they can do to stop a guided artillery shell once it has been fired.
The use of the Granat-4 system to destroy an Abrams tank is just one example of how drones are changing the dynamics of modern warfare. Traditionally, tanks have been seen as indispensable assets in both offensive and defensive operations. However, the proliferation of drones and precision-guided weapons has called into question the future utility of tanks, particularly in contested environments where drones are omnipresent.
Russian forces have increasingly relied on drones like the Granat-4 to provide real-time intelligence and target marking for artillery strikes. While this approach has proven effective against tanks and other armored vehicles, it also highlights the limitations of traditional armored warfare in the face of new technologies. In many cases, drones are able to bypass traditional defenses, such as steel cages or jamming systems, by using laser-guided munitions like the Krasnopol shell, which cannot be easily countered.
The vulnerability of tanks to drone-guided artillery fire is likely to spur further innovation in both tank design and counter-drone technologies. Armies around the world are already experimenting with new ways to protect tanks from drone strikes, but the Toropets strike and the Granat-4’s success in targeting an Abrams tank suggest that much more work needs to be done to adapt to the changing battlefield.
Challenge of Sanctions and Production
Like many Russian defense firms, IZHBS, the company behind the Granat-4 system, has faced significant challenges due to international sanctions. These sanctions, imposed by Western nations including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, have targeted Russia’s ability to source foreign components for its military hardware. Despite these challenges, IZHBS has continued to produce drones for the Russian military, although the firm has struggled to meet delivery deadlines.
In October 2023, IZHBS invoked force majeure on its contract with the Russian state for the supply of drones, citing difficulties in meeting production schedules. However, by mid-2024, the company had resumed production, suggesting that it had found ways to overcome supply chain disruptions, either through import substitution or sanction evasion.
The fact that IZHBS was able to display the Granat-4 system at a major defense expo in Izhevsk indicates that the system is now in serial production. This is a significant achievement, as it signals that Russia has managed to sustain its drone production capabilities despite international pressure.
The events of September 18 and 19 underscore the growing importance of drones in modern warfare. Both Ukraine and Russia have demonstrated how drones can be used to strike deep into enemy territory, gather critical intelligence, and guide precision strikes against high-value targets. The Ukrainian strike on the ammunition dump in Toropets, coupled with Russia’s unveiling of the Granat-4 system, highlights the escalating drone race between the two countries.
As drones continue to play an increasingly prominent role in the conflict, both sides will need to adapt their strategies and technologies to keep pace. For now, the message is clear: drones are here to stay, and they are reshaping the future of warfare in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago.
