June 27, 2025
Ukraine has been systematically working for three years to develop effective defenses against Russian kamikaze drones, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on June 27, according to public broadcaster Suspilne.
“Today, we have dozens of technological solutions and systems already being used in combat,” Umerov said.
He noted that several early innovations proved highly effective at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion but gradually lost their edge as Russia adapted its tactics.
In response, Ukraine is rolling out a new generation of anti-drone technologies, including drone interceptors and other undisclosed systems.
“Russia uses up to 500 Shahed drones in a single night, combining them with ballistic and cruise missiles to exhaust our air defenses, test our layered defense structure, and exert psychological pressure,” Umerov said.
Despite the scale of these attacks, he emphasized that Ukraine continues to find solutions and adapt.
“We now have an anti-Shahed system in place—one of the platforms performed so well, even we were surprised by its effectiveness,” he said.
Umerov stressed that counter-drone defense is a continuous cycle of innovation and refinement.
On June 21, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) reported that Russia is currently capable of launching up to 500 drones in a single night. According to HUR, Russia is producing up to 170 Shahed-type drones and decoys per day, with output expected to rise to 190 daily by the end of the year.
As of June 15, Russia had amassed roughly 6,000 strike drones, including the Geran-2 (Shahed-136) and Harpy-A1 models, along with more than 6,000 decoys (Gerbera).
On June 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia launched 2,736 Shahed drone attacks against Ukraine in June alone. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has used 28,743 Shahed-type drones, he said.
“Russia would never have been able to do this without its ties to the Iranian regime,” Zelenskyy stressed.
Very good. I hope that Ukraine’s countermeasures are at least 90% effective. Then, the roaches can hire all the African women they want to, to build drones.
I want to see the scum defending against 500 drones in a night. Let the moscow girlies feel what it’s like to be on the end of attacks every night.
I also want to see a massive attack on mafia cities, with hundreds of thousands of buildings burning to the ground.