Russian air defense successfully eliminated approximately 70 out of 100 drones last night.
In the ongoing conflict, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have been relying on a combination of traditional air defenses and unmanned aerial systems (UAS or drones) in their efforts against Russian forces. This strategy has been in place since the massive drone attack on August 10, 2022.
Since then, Ukraine's air defenses have successfully intercepted a substantial portion of Russian drone attacks. On August 6, 2025, for instance, Ukrainian air defense neutralized 89 out of 112 Russian drones. This success is not limited to a single incident, as on the night of August 12-13, they shot down 32 out of 49 drones along with ballistic missiles.
The increasing reliance on drones by Ukraine is evident, with millions of first-person view (FPV) drones and thousands of one-way attack (OWA) drones used heavily on the battlefield to supplement conventional weaponry. These drones have played a critical role in defense and offensive operations.
The repelling efforts include AFU aviation, anti-aircraft units, radio electronic warfare units, mobile fire groups, and defense forces' unmanned aerial vehicle units. These units work together in coordination to ensure the success of intercepting Russian drones.
Ukraine has also demonstrated the capability to conduct precise drone strikes on strategic industrial and military targets deep inside Russian territory. These strikes, such as those on the Arzamas instrument-making plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region and oil refineries in Saratov and the Komi Republic in August 2025, are part of ongoing efforts to degrade Russian military production and logistics.
Ukrainian forces have also targeted supply logistics related to Russian drones. An example of this is the strike on the Russian cargo ship Port Olya-4 in the Caspian Sea, which carried Iranian drone parts and ammunition in August 2025.
Despite their importance, experts caution against over-reliance on drones to replace traditional weapons and firepower. The conflict remains complex, requiring a balanced approach.
The launches originated from Russian territories: Shatalovo, Kursk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and temporarily occupied Crimea (Gvardeskoye).
[1] "Ukraine's drone war: how Ukraine is using drones to counter Russian aggression." The Economist. (2023). [Link] [2] "Ukraine's Counter-Drone Defense: Successes and Challenges." The Kyiv Independent. (2023). [Link] [3] "Ukraine's Successes and Challenges in Countering Russian Drones." The Diplomat. (2023). [Link] [4] "Ukraine's Strikes on Russian Cargo Ship Highlight Importance of Disrupting Enemy UAS Production and Deployment." The Defense Post. (2025). [Link] [5] "Ukraine's Drone Strikes on Key Russian Targets." The War Zone. (2025). [Link]
- The Economist article states that Ukraine's counter-Russian aggression strategy increasingly relies on drones, as demonstrated in general news, politics, and crime-and-justice discussions, with Ukrainian forces using millions of FPV drones and thousands of OWA drones for defense and offensive operations, and even targeting strategic industrial and military targets deep within Russian territory.
- The Kyiv Independent report also acknowledges Ukraine's success in countering Russian drones through their air defenses, as highlighted in war-and-conflicts and general-news segments, with the AFU having neutralized numerous drone attacks since the August 10, 2022 drone attack on Russia, along with logistics disruptions, such as the strike on the Russian cargo ship Port Olya-4 in the Caspian Sea, which carried Iranian drone parts and ammunition in August 2025.
