Russia wants to destroy everything it can reach – Expert warns of Shahed drone threat
Russia may be capable of launching hundreds of Shahed drones at Ukraine daily (Illustrative photo: Getty Images).
Russians are actively using Shahed drones to attack peaceful Ukrainian cities and have the resources to carry out such strikes regularly, said military expert Ivan Stupak.
He noted that 200 to 300 Shahed drones can enter Ukrainian airspace each night, with some instances where Russia has launched as many as 500 drones.
"Our intelligence indicates that, as of today, Russia has the capacity to produce around 170 drones per day. According to various estimates, that number could reach 190 to 200 by the end of this year. That's more of an assumption, but we are seeing the daily number of incoming drones," Stupak added.
According to him, Russia is now launching the sixth generation of Shahed drones against Ukraine. These drones are faster, fly at higher altitudes, and carry larger warheads. They are becoming increasingly difficult to jam with electronic warfare systems. In addition, mobile fire units can no longer keep up, as it's extremely difficult to shoot down targets flying at an altitude of 2 kilometers.
He also emphasized that Russia has enough resources to continue attacking major Ukrainian cities like Kyiv, Dnipro, and Odesa.
"Just look at what's happening in Kyiv — residential buildings are being destroyed. Dnipro is a must-hit target for them; they strike it daily. The same goes for Kharkiv, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and Odesa. Everything they can reach, they will try to destroy," Stupak said.
The expert also pointed out concerns about individuals leaking information to Russia. In some cases, officials have unintentionally revealed critical locations by posting selfies in front of sensitive facilities or infrastructure, making them easier targets for enemy strikes. He added that some Ukrainians are directly collaborating with Russia.
Drone attacks
In the early hours of June 23, Russian forces launched a massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine. One of the enemy's key targets was the capital, Kyiv.
One of the missiles struck a residential high-rise in the Shevchenkivskyi district, completely destroying an entrance section of the building. At least nine people were reported killed.
