President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reports that Russia has significantly increased its use of Shahed drones, deploying approximately ten times more of these weapons than autumn 2023.
In October 2024, Russian forces used 2,023 attack drones of the Shahed type and unidentified drones against civilian and military targets in Ukraine.
The Russian forces use dozens of Shahed long-range “kamikaze” drones – usually Iranian-designed Shahed 131 or 136 – every night, often also launching several missiles during the attack.
During a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff, Zelenskyy said, “We must fully counter them. “ The president emphasized several key measures, including “strengthening air defense in the regions that need it most, developing new solutions in the fight against KABs, and reinforcing mobile fire groups.”
The president also reviewed current year contracts and plans for the upcoming year.
“We considered 3-5 year contracts that we offer Ukrainian manufacturers of strategic-level drones. Manufacturers need a long planning horizon, development, and investment,” Zelenskyy said.
In August, Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian military forces had used a new weapon, the Palianytsia missile-drone, against Russian forces on Independence Day for the first time. The Minister of Digital Transformation later stated that one “Palianytsia” costs less than $1 million.
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