American-made technology guiding Ukraine's strikes into Russia

Key Points:

• Ukraine has intensified its use of American-made long-range reconnaissance drones, such as the V-BAT by Shield AI, to identify and strike high-value Russian military and energy targets deep inside Russian territory and in the Black Sea region.
• A notable early success involved using drones to destroy a Russian oil rig and down a Ka-27 helicopter, costing Russia over $1.5 million and disrupting a key platform for strikes into Ukraine.
• Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has launched a 40-day "influence operation" aiming to pressure Russia into ending the war, with drone-enabled strikes nearly doubling beyond 30 miles inside Russia's front lines.
• With the U.S. scaling back certain intelligence support, Ukraine has increasingly relied on European partners, particularly France, and its own enhanced reconnaissance drones equipped with Starlink for extended range and real-time data.
• The V-BAT drones, featuring AI navigation and adaptability to Russian electronic warfare, have been critical for locating expensive Russian air defenses like the S-400, aiding Ukraine's broader campaign to degrade Russia's military infrastructure.