Strike drones to dominate in Russian attacks on Ukraine

The Air Force of Ukraine’s Armed Forces have been preparing for the fact that in the near future, strike drones will prevail over missiles in Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory.

Source: Yurii Ihnat, Spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, during the national joint 24/7 newscast on 2 October and on the air of Radio Svoboda (Liberty)

Details: The interviewer noted that Ukrainian air defence systems are currently downing 70-80% of drones, and asked whether this ratio will be maintained in the future: if they down 80 out of 100 drones, then will they down 800 out of 1,000.

Quote from Ihnat: "Proportionality will be preserved when we obtain a proportionate number of air defence assets. You need to understand how many assets [we need – ed.] to down missiles, reconnaissance-type UAVs and strike drones. If the enemy increases the number of strike drones, of course we need to increase the number of assets."

Ihnat added that Ukraine can only increase the number of air defence equipment with the help of its partners, which is why work with partners in the Ramstein format is constantly ongoing.

Quote from Ihnat: "We understand that the threat of drones will grow as their number is growing, and, accordingly, we need more assets that will be used rationally against these UAVs.

There is every indication that strike drones will dominate in attacks. Therefore, we also need to draw conclusions and prepare for this."

Details: Ihnat also confirmed that September 2023 was a record month regarding the number of Russian attacks with Shahed kamikaze drones.

"We have been discussing the fact that Russia will ramp up their production and use them against Ukraine for several months now... These are obvious steps since Russia will not have many missiles — of its own production, I mean," the Ukrainian Air Force spokesman said.

Ihnat suggested that Russia would use fewer missiles this year than in the last one because a missile is a more powerful and expensive weapon than a kamikaze drone, and it takes longer to produce the former.

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