(Reuters) – According to Kyiv, Russia has launched approximately 7,400 missiles and 3,700 Shahed attack drones into Ukraine over the course of its 22-month-long invasion. The vast scale of Moscow’s aerial attacks was detailed on Thursday, with Ukrainian air defences managing to shoot down 1,600 of the missiles and 2,900 of the drones, as reported by air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat in televised comments. “We are faced with an enormous aggressor, and we are fighting back,” he said.
Yuriy Ihnat also shared that the lower missile downing rate was attributed to the use of supersonic ballistic missiles, which are considerably harder to hit, as well as the delayed supply of advanced Patriot air defence systems from the West. These advanced air defence systems, including several Patriots, were eventually provided to Ukraine by Western allies throughout the invasion, allowing for a higher success rate in shooting down missiles.
Amidst this, the Iranian-made Shahed drones, known in Ukraine for their loud petrol engines, have been increasingly used in Russia’s aerial attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure far beyond the war’s front lines in the east and south of the country. “Ten to 15 regions are involved in shooting down Shaheds every night,” Ihnat stated.
Russia has asserted that it only targets military objectives, although it has acknowledged targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Despite thousands of documented civilian deaths throughout the war, Russia maintains that it does not target civilians.
The use of the drones in massed attacks posed a challenge for Ukraine as they were cost-effective to produce, making it not feasible to down them with expensive air defence missiles. As a result, Ukraine has resorted to using vehicles with mounted machine guns to shoot down the drones. “We were shooting at them with everything we could find, with pistols, submachine guns,” Ihnat recalled. “Well, even then it became clear that the target is not simple, there are many complications, mistakes. You need to prepare.”
Western media outlets and analysts have provided evidence, including satellite imagery, of Russia setting up its own Shahed production facilities.
(Reporting by Max Hunder and Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Tom Balmforth)
