Russia used five times as many jet-powered drones in July as in June

A Ukrainian military official has said Russia used five times as many jet-powered drones to attack Ukraine in July as it did in June, following a change in its drone attack tactics and increased use of jet-powered UAVs, which are more difficult for the Ukrainian Air Force to shoot down.

Source: Yurii Ihnat, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, in an interview on the national joint 24/7 newscast

Quote: "The enemy has changed the weapons it uses more than its tactics. In other words, it has significantly increased the number of jet-powered [drones – ed.] specifically. This happened... in July. The enemy used five times as many jet-powered UAVs in July as in June. That was the month when the number of these UAVs, along with Banderol missile drones, began to increase significantly."

Details: Ihnat reported that Russia had launched more than 1,500 UAVs on Ukraine over the past four days. Of these, 800 – more than half – were jet-powered.

Ihnat said the Russians have resorted to using jet-powered drones as Ukraine's defence forces were successfully shooting down and jamming large numbers of conventional petrol-powered Shaheds.

"Of course, they did not start using jet-powered UAVs just recently, but they have now increased their use, realising that they cannot be shot down using the conventional methods we already employ against ordinary UAVs," the spokesperson said.

He added that Ukraine's interception rate for jet-powered UAVs is currently lower than for conventional drones, 88-90% of which are shot down.

Ihnat explained that the successful interception of jet-powered drones requires the use of ground-based air defence systems, aviation systems and platforms, fighter jets equipped with air-to-air missiles, and other weapons.

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