Ukraine Seeks Reaper Drones to Aid Deep Strikes on Russian Forces

As Ukraine is attempting to use long-range munitions provided by the US, it is seeking Reaper drones to help locate targets well behind the frontlines. Reaper drones moved to the top of Ukraine’s wishlist after the White House sent Kiev its new weapons systems. 

According to POLITICO, Kiev has sought the Reaper system from Washington for some time but recently bumped the drone to the top of the wishlist. Ukraine also amended its request to include only unarmed variants of the advanced drones. 

Earlier this year, the White House began providing Ukraine with Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) with a range of nearly 200 miles. Kiev believes a combination of ATACMS and the Reaper system could help to identify and destroy Russian targets well beyond the front. 

Reapers can be armed with munitions such as hellfire missiles but are also equipped with some of the Department of Defense’s top service technology. In 2023, Russia downed a Reaper over the Black Sea when a fighter jet dumped fuel on the drone. Moscow recovered the crashed UAV. 

The officials who spoke with POLITICO about the potential transfer said the White House is concerned the drones will be downed by Russia. 

In April of 2022, Western leaders urged Kiev to forgo a negotiated settlement to the war, and Ukraine would be given everything it needed to defeat Russia. Over two years into the conflict, the US and its NATO allies are struggling to find the money and weapons to keep the Ukrainian army fighting.