Ukrainian air defense forces may be forced to reduce their use of interceptors as the Kremlin ramps up drone attacks to an industrial scale. According to The Economist, Russia is now producing 500 attack drones each day, raising the possibility of daily strikes involving up to 1,000 drones targeting Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
A year ago, an overnight attack involving 30 drones was considered extraordinary. Today, it is tragically routine. The Kremlin, under the command of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, is accelerating its drone programme dramatically. Ukrainian military intelligence has obtained documents revealing Russia’s intention to manufacture up to 500 Shahed-style drones daily. At this scale, coordinated waves of drone assaults numbering over 1,000 could soon become the norm.
These drones are also becoming more difficult to intercept. Ukrainian engineers tasked with dismantling and analysing downed drones report alarming advancements. New Russian drones no longer rely on GPS navigation, which is vulnerable to jamming. Instead, they are steered by artificial intelligence systems and use Ukraine’s own Internet and mobile networks to navigate. Some drones are even being operated through bots on Telegram, providing real-time video and flight data to their Russian controllers.
The engineers recently discovered a chilling note hidden within one drone, confirming bot-based control systems that allow Russian operators to manage these UAVs remotely and precisely, bypassing traditional disruption methods.
Experts believe Ukraine must now adopt a new strategy that blends air defence with offensive countermeasures and broader deterrence. With the West slow to respond decisively, and Ukraine’s interceptors stretched thin, adapting quickly may be the only way forward.
The stakes have never been higher. On May 25, Russia launched its most intense assault in recent weeks. The Ukrainian Air Force reported shooting down 45 cruise missiles and 266 drones in a single night. The onslaught highlights the urgency of international intervention to stop the Kremlin’s war machine.
Ukrainian officials, military analysts, and the public are increasingly vocal in their criticism of Western governments’ hesitation, which only emboldens Moscow’s aggression.
