More than 7,000 drones could swarm over Ukraine in May
An OSINT analyst warns that Russia may reach a new peak in attacks in May and launch more than 7,000 attack drones against Ukraine. At the same time, a significant portion of these drones are decoys that the occupiers are using to overload Ukraine’s air defense system. This was stated by OSINT analyst and international relations student Clément Molen on social media platform X.
Russia is sharply escalating the intensity of its air attacks on Ukraine, relying on the mass use of drones and missiles, and May, according to analysts’ estimates, could become one of the toughest months since the start of the full-scale war.
OSINT analyst and student of the Faculty of International Relations Clément Molen stated on the social media platform X that Russia is likely to exceed 7,000 launches of attack drones in just one month. He emphasized that this is a continuation of the trend of increasing air pressure following the already record-breaking attacks in early 2026.
According to the expert, a significant portion of these drones are not combat drones but decoys, specifically used to overload Ukraine’s air defense system and force it to expend resources faster than new threats arrive. “About 30–40% of the drones launched by the Russians in May are decoys,” Molen notes, adding that some of them are equipped with additional devices for reconnaissance and guiding the main strike waves.
The analyst points out that the Russians are actively using such “decoys” not only as a diversion but also to gather data on the operation of Ukrainian radars and air defense positions, which increases the effectiveness of subsequent attacks.
He also emphasizes that there were only a few days in May without massive strikes, and this lull could have been used to build up resources ahead of a new wave of attacks. One of the most significant recent incidents occurred on May 13–14, when Russia reportedly launched approximately 1,600 drones of various types within a short period of time.
Separately, Molen notes that critical infrastructure is increasingly becoming the target of Russian strikes—power substations, power generation facilities, railway hubs, as well as energy and industrial facilities that keep logistics and the economy running even in frontline regions.
According to him, such tactics are aimed not only at achieving a military effect but also at exerting constant pressure on civilian infrastructure, which complicates life in the rear and places an additional burden on the country’s power grid.
Russia is reducingthe number of active oil wells — Zelenskyy.
On the night of May 17, a number of Russian military-industrial complex and energy facilities in Moscow and the Moscow region were struck. Strikes were carried out on an oil depot in Durikino, an oil refinery in Kapotnya, the Angstrom microelectronics plant, and the Raduga Design Bureau, which develops cruise missiles.
On the morning of May 16, Moscow also came under attack by drones, causing airports in the Russian capital to temporarily suspend operations.
