Moscow and Kiev document more than 100 drone assaults each
In the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, drones have become central and deadly elements of the battlefield, profoundly shaping how the war is fought. The intensity and scale of drone use have sharply increased over the years, with Russia relying heavily on drones to carry out its attacks.
Russian drone strikes escalated from just dozens of attacks per month in 2022 to nearly 13,800 strikes in 2024, with 2025 seeing even higher monthly cumulative strikes, sometimes over 2,000. This marks a significant intensification of drone warfare, with Russian drone attacks now accounting for about 70% of all deaths and injuries in Ukraine, indicating their devastating human impact.
Between January and May 2025 alone, Ukrainian drone strikes inflicted over $10 billion in damage on Russian targets, demonstrating the technology's destructive economic and military impact. Recent operations include Russia’s largest combined drone and missile strike since the invasion began, targeting key areas such as Kyiv.
The constant drone presence has caused widespread fear among Ukrainian civilians and soldiers, who dread the distinctive buzzing sound of drones overhead. To combat drones, Ukraine heavily relies on advanced air defense systems including German-supplied IRIS-T SLM and US Patriot systems, which have been critical in intercepting Russian missile and drone attacks. However, electronic warfare, including jamming, presents ongoing challenges for drone operations on both sides, reducing effectiveness during active jamming periods.
First-person view (FPV) attack drones used by Ukraine face significant limitations due to electronic warfare jamming by Russian forces, resulting in substantial sortie failures—up to 31% lost to enemy jamming—and complicating drone operations. The conflict serves as a testbed demonstrating how drones are transforming modern combat, with drones playing a dominant role in both offensive strikes and defensive responses.
The broader implications for future warfare are significant. The conflict has made it clear that drones now kill more people than traditional artillery in Ukraine, highlighting a shift in modern warfare technology and tactics. This raises questions about NATO and other forces' readiness for large-scale drone warfare.
Amidst these developments, the conflict continues to take a heavy toll on civilians. Russian forces continued their artillery attacks in the partially occupied Ukrainian territories, resulting in daily deaths and injuries. In the southern Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv, Governor Vitaliy Kim reported massive attacks with Shahed drones, causing damage to warehouses and the power grid but no reported injuries. Ukrainian authorities in the Kharkiv region reported one death and several injured residents from heavy Russian shelling. In the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, which is mostly occupied by Russian troops, Ukrainian authorities reported three dead and seven injured since Saturday.
In the contested region of Kherson in southern Ukraine, two dead and three injured were reported from Russian shelling of critical infrastructure in the morning. Several residential buildings were damaged in the Kherson region due to Russian shelling. Despite these challenges, Ukraine's resilience and determination remain unwavering as they continue to defend themselves against Russia's invasion for over three years.
- In the realm of general news and politics, the escalating war-and-conflicts between Russia and Ukraine continues to reshape dynamics, with Russian drone strikes accounting for a staggering 70% of deaths and injuries in Ukraine.
- The economic impact of this conflict is also noteworthy, as Ukrainian drone strikes inflicted over $10 billion in damage on Russian targets within the first five months of 2025, showcasing the destructive power of drone technology in modern warfare.
