To Inflict Pain on Russians, Ukraine’s Drones Zero In on Oil Refineries NYT | Top Stories Maria Varenikova and Brendan Hoffman 14 October 2025 at 00:17 With Russian forces gaining slowly on the battlefield, Ukraine hopes its long-range drone campaign will help persuade Vladimir V. Putin to change course. © Brendan Hoffman for The New York TimesEven though they are far from the front lines, drone teams wear protective gear for fear of being detected and targeted by Russia.