Ukraine’s Logistics Targeting Raises Questions for Russia’s Rear Defences

Royal United Services Institute  |  Emily Ferris

Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russian military supply chains and fuel infrastructure around Crimea have severely disrupted Moscow's rear logistics. These coordinated attacks on the R-280 Novorossiya highway and Kerch Strait ferries force Russian forces to reroute vulnerable truck convoys onto secondary roads, exposing critical structural vulnerabilities in Russia's rear defences.

This campaign exploits Russia's geographic loss of strength gradient, which degrades combat power and connectivity over long distances from primary bases in Rostov. To counter these deep-penetration threats, Moscow has deployed Soviet-era armoured trains and reoriented BARS-32 mobile fire teams to protect vulnerable railway networks. However, these defensive measures remain largely ineffective against modernized, stealthy aerial platforms. While disabling the Kerch Bridge entirely remains a technical possibility, Kyiv must balance this tactical objective against the risk of political disapproval from Western allies and potential Russian escalation. Consequently, the current interdiction strategy degrades operational capabilities but has not yet forced Moscow to the negotiating table.

Comment

Modern continental warfare requires deep operational depth for logistics. Static supply lines remain highly vulnerable to cheap precision strike assets. Armed forces must decentralise their storage depots to survive. Heavy reliance on single transit corridors invites systemic operational paralysis.

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