Russia plans to double the proportion of attack drones in its air strikes
The Russian Federation is changing its tactics for using unmanned aerial vehicles and plans to significantly increase the proportion of jet-powered strike drones in its attacks.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that the Ukrainian army is already preparing for new challenges and implementing measures to counter the enemy’s updated aerial threats in a timely manner.
Currently, most of the downed Russian “Shahed” and “Geran” drones are the result of the effective work of Ukrainian interceptor drones.
In May 2026 alone, air defense forces were able to destroy over 3,500 enemy UAVs across three echelons of air defense.
The second echelon, which is the responsibility of the Unmanned Systems Forces, has demonstrated the highest effectiveness—they have destroyed over 1,200 targets in a single month.
Army aviation is also making a significant contribution to the defense of Ukrainian airspace, having destroyed over 440 Russian drones of various types in May.
Ukrainian helicopters are routinely receiving new modern detection equipment, upgraded targeting systems, and powerful missile armaments. These technical upgrades allow crews to achieve high performance directly on the battlefield.
However, the occupying forces continue to modernize their own weaponry, increasing both the quantity and quality of their aerial attack assets.
According to military leadership, the aggressor is relying on high-speed jet technologies that are more difficult to intercept. The enemy’s future plans require the Ukrainian Defense Forces to rapidly implement new engineering solutions.
“The aggressor plans to increase the share of jet-powered strike drones to 50%. This presents us with new challenges that require a timely response,” Syrskyi stated.
Oleksandr Syrskyi reported this on Facebook.
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Ukraine, together with its German partners, is launching additional drone production in Germany. This involves not only increasing the number of drones for the front lines but also creating backup sites in case of attacks, disruptions, or other force majeure events.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, together with NATO member states, announced the launch of the first competition for the development of next-generation defense technologies. The initiative is being implemented as part of the UNITE – Brave NATO program.
