‘Highway of death’: the Ukrainian drone campaign menacing Russian logistics

Key Points:

• The R-280 highway, known as the “Novorossiya” route by Russian forces, is a critical supply line linking Russia to occupied Ukrainian territories and Crimea, but Ukrainian drones have turned it into a hazardous zone dubbed the “highway of death.”
• Ukrainian drone strikes, part of an intensified “middle strike campaign,” have significantly disrupted Russian logistics, targeting convoys 20-200 km behind the frontlines and causing a 71% drop in military cargo traffic on the highway over two weeks.
• Advanced drone technology, including US-made Hornet drones assisted by AI and locally produced Morrigan drones, has enabled Ukraine to conduct continuous attacks on Russian supply routes, leading to fuel shortages in Crimea and forcing Russian convoys off main roads.
• Russian officials have acknowledged the use of remote mining systems triggered by movement, further complicating Russian supply efforts and prompting restrictions on civilian truck movements along the R-280 by Kremlin-appointed authorities.
• Independent analysts, such as the US Institute for the Study of War, confirm that Ukrainian intermediate-range strikes are effectively degrading Russia’s operational capabilities along key supply routes, with Russian officials comparing the impact to historical sieges.