Ukraine Uses $600 Drones to Destroy Two Russian Bridges, Disrupt Supply Routes

Ukrainian forces have destroyed two bridges inside Russia’s Belgorod region using low-cost drones to trigger hidden Russian mine stockpiles, CNN reported on Saturday. The precision strikes dealt a rare blow to Moscow’s supply infrastructure amid intensifying frontline battles.

The operation was carried out by the 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, which said the targeted bridges were key logistical routes for Russian troops near the Ukrainian border. Russian forces had previously rigged the bridges with explosives to prevent Ukrainian advances, but Kyiv turned that tactic against them.

“We saw the mines, and we struck,” a brigade representative told CNN.

Video footage released by the unit shows a drone flying beneath one bridge, revealing a concealed cache of anti-tank mines and ammunition. Moments later, the drone crashes into the pile, triggering a massive explosion. A second strike targeted another bridge prepared with similar explosives.

“After that, we decided to check the other bridge. We found it was also mined and we struck,” the brigade member said. “We saw an opportunity and took it.”

Each drone used in the mission reportedly cost between $600 and $725, far less than the tens of thousands of dollars needed for HIMARS rockets previously deployed against Russian infrastructure.

The strikes come at a critical time for Kyiv, as Russian forces press their offensive and carry out daily airstrikes on Ukrainian cities. Facing the realities of prolonged warfare, Ukraine has increasingly relied on drone-based operations to hit targets deep inside Russian territory.

In June, Ukraine covertly deployed 117 drones to strike four Russian air bases — including one as far as 2,500 miles away in Siberia. The so-called “Spiderweb” operation caused significant damage, according to Ukrainian officials. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed 40 Russian aircraft were hit, including more than a third of Moscow’s cruise missile carriers. Ukraine’s security service estimated the losses at $7 billion. Some analysts and Russian bloggers compared the attack to Pearl Harbor, citing its scale and strategic impact.