Shaheds have become a daily mass terror, but it is only getting worse. Russia has ramped up production to 90 Shahed drones per day, and that number is expected to exceed 100 soon, according to Oleg Katkov, Editor-in-Chief of Defense Express, Kyiv 24 Channel reports.
He emphasizes that the production involves simple, manual assembly at two sites — Alabuga and Kupol in Izhevsk.
“These are basic workshops... manual work involving gluing and assembling from ready-made components, which are being massively imported from China. And supplies from Iran are still ongoing,” the expert explains.
According to Katkov, Russia is betting heavily on Shaheds because, unlike missiles, these drones can be mass-produced using readily available parts.
In response, Ukraine has stepped up the use of anti-aircraft drones and mobile fire teams as part of its air defense system.
“Of course, we can’t cover the entire country with drone-based air defense. But we can do what we’ve been doing since the start of the invasion, protecting cities, facilities, and directions locally. That’s where we’re heading,” says Yurii Ihnat, Head of Communications for Ukraine’s Air Force.
Previously, Katkov reported that Ukraine's defense forces' maximum Shahed interception rate stands at 90%. He noted that this is a very strong result, but it still cannot guarantee full safety.
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