Lyutyi

Ukraine’s primary strategic one-way attack drone — a 2,000 km-range, AI-guided pusher-prop system that has devastated Russian oil refineries and military plants deep inside Russia.

Overview

The Lyutyi (Ukrainian for “fierce” or “furious”), officially designated An-196 Lyutyi, is a long-range, fixed-wing, one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Ukraine’s state defense conglomerate Ukroboronprom in partnership with the Antonov design bureau. Conceived in late 2022 as a direct response to Russia’s campaign of Iranian Shahed-136 strikes, the Lyutyi has become the cornerstone of Ukraine’s “oil war” strategy, accounting for up to 80% of successful deep strikes on Russian targets in 2024, according to reporting by Re:Russia. It is operated by the 14th Regiment of Unmanned Aerial Systems and delivers conventional high-explosive warheads against refineries, fuel depots, air bases, and military-industrial plants at ranges that have progressively expanded from 1,000 km to beyond 1,700 km.

🔒 The full Lyutyi file is for BattlePolicy Pro members. Below the line: development history, design and capabilities, variants, the combat record, advantages and limitations, comparable systems, outlook, the full specifications table, our sourcing, and the analyst assessment — procurement, suppliers and the BattlePolicy verdict. Unlock the full file with BattlePolicy Pro →