Russia has ordered more than 100,000 Shahed-type drones — Main Intelligence Directorate
Russia has significantly increased its defense procurement of "Shahed"-type drones. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate, orders for various models of these drones this year exceed 100,000 units. Intelligence sources note that these are various types of strike drones that Russia is actively using for attacks on Ukrainian territory. The increase in production and procurement indicates Russia’s intention to continue expanding the use of drones in the war.
This was reported by Vadym Skibitsky, Deputy Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, during a speech at the international forum “Security Architecture,” according to Ukrinform.
According to him, the Russians should not be underestimated, as they have retained a powerful defense-industrial complex and are capable of rapidly ramping up production.
“In 2024, Russia’s defense orders for ‘Shahed’-type drones amounted to about 12,000 units. Defense orders for 2026—‘Gerbera,’ ‘Geran,’ and other types of ‘Shahed’ drones—already exceed 100,000 units per year. This is a striking example of how Russia’s defense industry can scale up,” he noted.
Also, according to Skibitsky, it is necessary to take into account that during the full-scale invasion, the Russians were able to establish ways to circumvent international sanctions, and their high-precision weapons contain components manufactured by American and European companies.
Furthermore, the Russian command system has a whole system of penalties for failing to meet planned obligations regarding weapons production, added the deputy head of the Main Intelligence Directorate.
At the same time, he emphasized that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are disrupting and even halting the production of certain types of weapons and chemical components when they strike at the Russian defense industry.
Russia is using delays in attacks to exert psychological pressure, according to a representative of the Ministry of Defense.
Negotiationswith Russia are ongoing, but there is no ceasefire yet—Budanov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he is ready to hold a summit with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, and the search for an appropriate format is currently underway.
Budanovwore a unique shirt featuring images of a cat, a frog, and an owl.
