Russia launched record number of drones at Ukraine in September - UK intelligence
Illustrative photo: Russia attacks Ukraine with a record number of Shahed drones (RBC-Ukraine collage)
Russia launched more than 1,300 kamikaze drones over the territory of Ukraine in September 2024. This is the largest number of unmanned aerial vehicles launched in a month since the beginning of the conflict, according to the UK Ministry of Defense.
“Based on current rates it is almost certain that Russia will surpass that number in October 2024,” the report says.
It is unclear whether Russia will be able to maintain this figure until the end of 2024. However, according to British intelligence, Russia is almost certainly expanding its capabilities to conduct large-scale drone attacks in Ukraine, supplementing Iranian supplies with increased domestic production.
“Russia utilises its OWA UAVs against a multitude of targets, particularly energy infrastructure, given their ability to strike deep into Ukrainian territory, maintaining pressure on the Ukrainian Air Defence system,” the report said.
Russian drones
Russia annually produces more than 6,000 Shahed drones at a plant in Yelabuga (southeastern Tatarstan). Every day its forces release 30 to 80 barrage munitions in the direction of Ukrainian cities.
According to The Telegraph, Ukraine is developing a drone capable of intercepting Russian Iranian-made kamikaze drones. It will track and intercept Shahed-136s instead of conventional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian cities from Russian shelling.
