Highway of Death (Ukraine)

The Highway of Death^{[1][2][3][4][a]} or the Novorossiya highway^[4][b] are nicknames for a 700-kilometre^[7] motorway on the northern coast of the Sea of Azov in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine that has been playing an important role in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine for Russia's military logistics, particularly for supplying Crimea.^[1] It is a combination of two stretches from the existing Highway M14 of Ukraine (part of European route E58) from the Russo-Ukrainian border via Mariupol until Melitopol, and from there the existing Highway M18 of Ukraine (part of European route E105) to Simferopol. At the Russo-Ukrainian border, Highway M14 connects with Russian federal highway R-280 (or R280) via Taganrog to Rostov-on-Don.^[7] The pair of two highway stretches was dubbed the "Novorossiya highway" by Russia in the mid-2020s, and formally added to the existing R-280,^[1] a move rejected by Ukraine.^[7] A similar situation exists for the Russian-designated highway R-150, which is a connected combination of stretches of Highway H20 of Ukraine from Mariupol to Donetsk city, Highway M04 of Ukraine between Donetsk and Luhansk city, and Highway H21 of Ukraine from Luhansk city via Starobilsk to the Russo-Ukrainian border.^[7][8]

The Novorossiya highway has become crucial in supplying Crimea over the "land bridge" through occupied southern Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts instead of the Crimean Bridge (Kerch Bridge), that was severely damaged in 2025 and remains vulnerable.^[1][2][3] Since then, the Bridge has been closed off for heavy vehicles,^[6][9] meaning the only remaining ways for supplying Crimea are via air (but mutual air denial has practically eliminated this option since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022), the Kerch Strait ferry line, and the M14 and M18 highways over the land bridge.^[7] However, the ferry line has a limited capacity,^[7] and the highway has come under the fire control of the Ukrainian military around early 2026, particularly with the rapidly advancing developments in drone warfare technology.^[7] Ukrainian drones have become highly effective at targeting and destroying Russian military supply trucks all over M14 and M18 highway stretches, earning it the nickname "Highway of Death",^[1][2][3][4] or "Highway to Hell".^[8][6] The motorway became a prime target during the "middle strike campaign" of early 2026.^[1] Reportedly, the fixed-wing U.S.-made Hornet drones and Ukrainian-produced Morrigan drones have been significantly involved in striking Russian military trucks on the road.^[1]

On 25 May 2026, an Institute for the Study of War (ISW) report noted that "Ukraine significantly intensified its intermediate-range strike campaign against dynamic targets in Spring 2026 in order to degrade Russian logistics at operational depths ahead of a planned Ukrainian manoeuvre."^[8] Both Russian officials and milbloggers were confirming "in mid-to-late May 2026 that Ukrainian drones were increasingly targeting Russian vehicles and logistics … at distances over 160km from the frontline."^[8] By geolocation, the ISW was able to verify approximately 35 attacks on vehicles on the motorways M14 and M18, as well as the H20 between Mariupol and Donetsk, with circumstantial evidence suggesting the real number was much higher.^[8] As a result, in late May 2026, Russian occupying authorities almost completely closed off the road to all civilian traffic.^[8][1] The Russian-appointed governor of Kherson Oblast, Vladimir Saldo, restricted civilian truck movements on the R-280 on 21 May.^[1] In early June 2026, the Chonhar Bridge across the Syvash on the M18 was heavily damaged by Ukrainian drone strikes, prompting the Russian military to close that fixed link off as well.^[1] In its stead, on 7 June, Russia reopened the pontoon bridge near the damaged bridge, first laid in 2023 when the Chonhar Bridge was hit by a Storm Shadow missile; after it was repaired, the pontoon bridge had not been used in three years.^[6] Similarly on 6 June 2026, the Russian-appointed governor of Luhansk Oblast also restricted passenger and commercial traffic on highway R-150 through Luhansk to Mariupol.^[7]

On 9 June 2026, commander Robert "Madyar" Brovdi of the 414th Unmanned Strike Aviation Brigade ("Birds of Madyar") reported that Russian military cargo traffic along the highway of death had fallen by 71% during the previous two weeks.^[1] As a result of the middle strike campaign, significant shortages of commodities have arisen in Crimea, most notably fuel supplies.^[1][8][6] Residents of occupied Crimea have voiced complaints of kilometre-long cueues at petrol stations, where authorities have introduced coupons limiting the sale of gasoline at 20 litres per person.^[6] Public transportation across Crimea has also been reduced in order to save fuel.^[6]