Ukraine's Deep Strikes Degrade Russian Air Defences and Logistics in Sustained Campaign

Ukraine's military has spent the first half of September systematically dismantling Russian military infrastructure behind the front lines, striking fuel depots, drone launch sites, command posts and, most recently, two launchers of an S-400 air defence system in Russia's Bryansk Oblast. The campaign, confirmed by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reflects a deliberate strategy to degrade Moscow's logistics and air cover ahead of any further battlefield manoeuvres.

On the night of 16–17 September, Ukrainian forces struck two S-400 launchers near Vygonichi in Bryansk Oblast, according to the General Staff. The same report detailed hits on a Russian drone storage and launch site near occupied Donetsk, as well as logistics and supply depots in Kurakhivka and Nova Marivka in Donetsk Oblast and in Luhansk. Clusters of Russian personnel were also targeted in Strilkove, Kherson Oblast, and Druzhne, Luhansk Oblast source: Ukrainska Pravda.

The Bryansk strike follows a 13–14 September attack on a 92N6 radar component of an S-400 system, suggesting Ukrainian forces are systematically hunting the components of Russia's most capable surface-to-air missile systems. The S-400, known as the Triumf, is a key asset protecting Russian logistics hubs and command centres from Ukrainian strikes; degrading it opens windows for further attacks on fuel and ammunition depots.

This week's actions are part of a broader pattern. On 10 September, Ukraine reported hitting UAV ground control stations and other military targets in Russia and occupied territories source: Ukrainska Pravda. Two days earlier, the General Staff announced strikes on a Russian attack drone launch site and command posts source: Ukrainska Pravda. The cumulative effect has been to force the Russian military to disperse its logistics and air defence assets, complicating resupply to front-line units.

Energy infrastructure has been a particular focus. On 13 September, Kyiv confirmed strikes on two Russian oil refineries source: Ukrainska Pravda, following up a 11 September attack on a refinery in Saratov source: Ukrainska Pravda and a 6 September strike on the Ryazan refinery and an airfield source: Ukrainska Pravda. The General Staff also confirmed on 12 September a strike on a Tolyatti plant that produces rubber for rocket fuel source: Ukrainska Pravda, directly targeting the production chain for Russia's missile forces.

These strikes are not isolated incidents but rather a coordinated effort to undermine Russia's ability to sustain its invasion. By hitting fuel storage, drone launch capabilities and air defence radars, Ukraine is aiming to reduce the intensity of Russian glide-bomb and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and front-line positions. The General Staff reported 263 combat clashes in the past day alone, underscoring the intensity of fighting source: Ukrainska Pravda.

For European readers, the takeaway is strategic: Ukraine is now consistently reaching targets inside Russia that were once considered off-limits. The strikes on Bryansk and Saratov are not symbolic; they are part of a campaign to change the correlation of forces on the battlefield. Whether Moscow can adapt its air defence and logistics networks remains the open question, but for now, Kyiv is dictating the tempo.

The General Staff's reports are the only confirmed data available; independent battlefield assessments remain limited. However, the pattern of strikes, corroborated by multiple official statements, points to a deliberate and effective campaign to degrade Russian military power beyond the front lines.