--- title: "British 'Nyan' Drones Over Russia: London Lifts Restrictions on Strikes Against Refineries" description: "🇬🇧🇷🇺 British Nyan drones and secret UAVs with a range of 960 km have been officially spotted for the first time in attacks on refineries in Russia. London has lifted restrictions: strikes on Volgograd and Yaroslavl have become a reality. BAE Systems confirmed deliveries, but experts warn of risks to British factories. 🔥🛢️" date: 2026-08-17T04:32:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/british-nyan-drones-attack-russia-refineries-london-lifts-restrictions-2026 tags: [ukraine-war, brytain, bae-systems, nyan-drone, russia-refineries, military-tech] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # British 'Nyan' Drones Over Russia: London Lifts Restrictions on Strikes Against Refineries ![British Switchblade 600 kamikaze drone on a training ground, ready for use against Russian refineries after restrictions were lifted](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/17/britain-drones-nyan-attack-russia-refineries-2026/britain-drones-nyan-attack-russia-refineries-2026-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Ukraine has begun using British Nyan drones and secret UAVs to strike refineries in Russia. - British drones have a range from 240 to 960+ km. - In August 2026, refineries in Volgograd and Yaroslavl were attacked. - London officially confirmed deliveries but does not comment on operation details. On August 17, 2026, news emerged of a qualitative shift in the tactics of Ukrainian strikes on deep Russian territory. According to intelligence sources and confirmations from British military officials, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have begun systematically employing British-made attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to strike strategic targets deep within the Russian Federation. This event marks London's final abandonment of the so-called "policy of caution" and a transition to direct support for Kyiv's forces in striking Russian energy infrastructure. ### BAE Systems Technologies in the Combat Zone The new wave of attacks relies on two types of drones developed by British defense giants. One of the key assets confirmed during operations is the jet drone **Nyan** (Nyan Maritime One Way Effector). The system is manufactured by Callen-Lenz, a subsidiary of BAE Systems, at factories in Wiltshire. Initially, this aircraft was developed for the Royal Navy, but its characteristics proved in demand for land operations as well. The drone has a wingspan of 2.9 meters and a flight range exceeding 240 kilometers, allowing it to effectively reach targets in border and central regions of Russia. ### The Hidden Argument: Drones with a Range of 960 km In addition to Nyan, a second type of UAV is involved in the attacks, details of which remain classified. According to The Sunday Times, the flight range of this aircraft exceeds 960 kilometers. It is precisely these characteristics that allow the AFU to strike targets located more than a thousand kilometers from the front line. Although the name of the second drone is not disclosed, experts link it to the latest developments of the British defense industry aimed at ensuring high autonomy and stealth during flights over enemy territory. ### Results of the 2026 Summer Campaign The application of British technologies has already yielded tangible results during the summer campaign of 2026. Attacks on Russia's oil refining industry have become systematic. In particular, strikes on July 31 led to the suspension of processing at a plant in Volgograd. On August 6, drones damaged storage tanks at the Yaroslavl "Slavneft-YANOS" refinery — one of the largest enterprises in the industry with a capacity of about 15 million tons per year. According to Bloomberg, since the beginning of August, Ukraine has attacked nearly a third of major Russian refineries (10 out of 34), creating critical pressure on the aggressor's fuel logistics. ### Contradictory Data The question of the scale of British drone use causes discrepancies. On the one hand, sources in the Armed Forces of Ukraine state that British systems are successfully used for deep strikes. On the other hand, Ukrainian interlocutors emphasize that most long-range attacks are still carried out by domestically produced drones. The British Ministry of Defence officially confirmed the delivery of "a range of capabilities" but declined to comment on specific operations. At the same time, retired Air Marshal Greg Bagwell warned that the use of British drones gives Moscow grounds to consider BAE Systems factories as legitimate military targets, creating serious geopolitical risks. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Media: AFU attacked targets in Russia with British drones for the first time](https://rus.delfi.lv/57862/v-mire/120130522/smi-vsu-vpervye-atakovali-celi-v-rossii-britanskimi-dronami) - Источник подтверждает применение дронов Nyan и других систем британского производства в атаках на российские НПЗ в августе 2026 года. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Which specific British drones are being used? **A:** It is known that the jet drone Nyan (Callen-Lenz/BAE Systems) and a secret UAV with a range of over 960 km are being used. ### Q: Which targets were attacked? **A:** In August 2026, strikes on refineries in Volgograd and Yaroslavl were recorded. ### Q: Did London confirm the deliveries? **A:** BAE Systems confirmed the delivery of capabilities to the British Ministry of Defence, but operation details remain classified.