Russia could sustain over 1,500 drone strikes on Ukraine monthly
Photo: Russia will launch at least 1500 Shaheds in Ukraine (RBC-Ukraine collage)
The number of kamikaze drones Russia can use to attack Ukraine may vary from month to month but will exceed 1,500, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
As noted in the briefing, in December 2024, Russia launched approximately 1,700 kamikaze drones of various types in Ukraine, which is fewer than the total number in November, when 2,300 were launched. This marked the first decline in total numbers since April 2024.
“It is likely that weather factors impacted operations early in the month, possibly evidenced through several nights of waves greater than 100 OWA UAS that followed periods of particularly low or no activity,” the report states.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that 53% of Russian drones were shot down, while the rest were neutralized using electronic warfare or diverted from their courses, causing no significant threat.
According to British intelligence, various factors can influence the monthly launch figures either upward or downward. “However, it remains likely that Russia can sustain a launch rate exceeding at least 1,500 drones per month.”
British intelligence has previously reported that Russian kamikaze drones are capable of targeting areas across the entire territory of Ukraine. This enables Moscow to maintain pressure while replenishing its stock of long-range aviation missiles.
Earlier, British intelligence noted that Russia had managed to increase the production of kamikaze drones and intensified strikes on Ukraine. Therefore, resolving this issue in the near future is expected to be challenging.
