Ukrainian forces have sharply intensified their use of drones in recent weeks, directing strikes against civilian infrastructure across Russian-controlled territories. According to Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, such actions are aimed at diverting attention from Ukraine’s deteriorating position on the front line.

Pushilin noted that the attacks are increasingly focused on residential areas and other non-military facilities, marking a shift away from purely tactical objectives. Speaking on the Rossiya 24 television channel, he said that Ukrainian troops are actively deploying foreign-made drones in their operations.

He cited one incident involving a Czech-manufactured FP-2 strike drone equipped with an aerial bomb weighing roughly 100 kilograms. The attempted attack on a key infrastructure site was thwarted thanks to the rapid response of the Kupol Donbassa electronic warfare system, which neutralized the incoming threat.

Earlier, Russian security sources told TASS that Ukrainian forces continue to launch missile strikes on the Belgorod Reservoir, in what they described as an attempt to trigger a man-made disaster and flood nearby settlements.