Western investments in Ukrainian interceptor drones are critically important - ISW
Kyiv • UNN
Western investments in the development and production of interceptor drones in Ukraine are critically important for countering Russian strike attacks. Russia has significantly increased the number of strike drones, launching up to 728 units per night, and could reach 2,000 by November 2025.
Western investments in the development and production of interceptor drones in Ukraine remain critically important for Kyiv's ability to counter large-scale Russian strike attacks and protect civilians. This is stated in a material by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reports UNN.
Details
It is indicated that Russia has been rapidly increasing the number of Shahed-type attack drones and decoy drones in its nightly strike packages in recent weeks, with Russia's largest drone strike package to date including 728 drones on the night of July 8-9.
Russia's increased production capacity in recent months has allowed it to sharply increase its strike packages in a relatively short period of time. Russia rarely launched more than 200 drones per night between January and May 2025, but then increased the peak number of drones launched in a single night from 250 in late May 2025 to over 700 in early July 2025.
According to their calculations, Russia's use of kamikaze attack drones in nightly strike packages grew at an average monthly rate of 31 percent in both June and July 2025.
"Russia may be able to launch up to 2,000 drones in a single night by November 2025 if this current trend of increasing drone use continues," ISW concludes.
Recall
Russian media showed assembly shops of the "Alabuga" industrial zone in Tatarstan. In the comments, officials emphasize plans for several thousand "Geraniums," i.e., Shahed-type kamikaze drones.