The Ukrainian Kairos battalion, which participates in long-range strikes against Russian facilities, has been deployed within the 7th Separate Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces. This was reported by Bloomberg, according to UNN.
Details
According to the agency, the Kairos unit, which was previously part of the 414th Separate Brigade of Unmanned Systems “Magyar’s Birds,” has evolved into a much larger military structure. The 7th Separate Center now numbers hundreds of service members and is capable of coordinating operations by other units.
The commander of the formation, known by the call sign “Ray,” told journalists that the capabilities of Ukraine’s long-range strikes have grown significantly. Whereas previously drones could carry out missions at a distance of about 100 kilometers and carry a relatively small warhead, Ukrainian forces now use significantly more powerful weapons, including relatively inexpensive cruise missiles.
One of Kairos’s areas of activity has been attacks on Russian maritime logistics. According to the commander, over the course of one month the unit struck 60 vessels in the Sea of Azov. In addition, during the summer campaign aimed at isolating occupied Crimea, the Unmanned Systems Forces carried out approximately 7,000 strikes using drones. These figures were provided by the Ukrainian side; there has been no independent confirmation of all the claimed results.
Bloomberg also reports on Kairos’s involvement in large-scale attacks on Russian energy facilities. In particular, the unit took part in an operation to attack the territory of the Moscow oil refinery in Kapotnya on September 20, 2026. Following the attack, the facility suspended oil refining, and repairs to the damaged equipment could take several weeks.
Satellite reconnaissance and data analysis play an important role in preparing long-range strikes. Ukrainian forces use current and archival satellite imagery to study Russian facilities. Specialists with experience in the energy sector are also involved in planning the operations.
According to the agency’s assessment, the expansion of the capabilities of Ukrainian long-range strike units demonstrates significant changes in the conduct of the war. Ukraine is increasingly using its own technologies, intelligence data, and coordinated operations to strike Russia’s military and energy infrastructure at a considerable distance from the front line.
We remind you
Earlier, the British publication The Times reported on the activities of the Ukrainian Kairos unit, which takes part in strikes against facilities on Russian territory. Subsequently, Reuters and The Guardian published reports on Ukrainian military operations against Russian maritime logistics and military infrastructure in the occupied territories.