Ukrainian drones drop small mines to cripple Russian trucks on key highways

Ukrainian drone forces have begun using small mines deployed from unmanned aircraft to target Russian military and commercial trucks on the main transport routes in the occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Satellite imagery verified by the Washington‑based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) shows attacks on four vital corridors at the end of May, creating long traffic jams and making immobilised vehicles easy targets for further strikes.

The operation, announced by Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and endorsed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, relies on an AI‑driven targeting system that can locate and engage vehicles up to 150 km from the drones. Hundreds of trucks, including fuel tankers destined for Crimea, have been knocked out, prompting Russian authorities on the peninsula to impose gasoline rationing. The mines are relatively low‑power, but their placement on the road forces Russian crews to halt traffic for clearance, amplifying logistical disruption.

Analysts say the tactic exploits gaps in Russian air defence and could continue to pressure Russian supply lines, especially as it avoids direct confrontation with heavily armoured units while still degrading the enemy’s ability to move goods and fuel.