Ukraine to deploy new units to counter Russian drone attacks, Air Force says
Despite ongoing peace talks, Russia continues to reject calls for an unconditional ceasefire, intensifying drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, killing and injuring civilians.
Overnight on June 1, Russia launched an aerial assault on Ukraine, deploying a record 472 drones.
Ukrainian forces downed 210 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, while 172 more drones were intercepted by electronic warfare or disappeared from radars, according to the Air Force.
"We would have liked to have had better results, but there were still dozens of hits," Ihant said.
According to Ihant, Russia employed tactics involving the launch of a large number of weapons at a single target that approached from high altitude. During their meeting on June 2, air force commanders emphasized the urgent need to strengthen drone air defense capabilities, he said.
"We are talking about anti-aircraft drones that help intercept air targets. Crews are being trained in different locations on the territory of our country. New units will be introduced," the spokesperson said.
Russia seeks to produce up to 500 drones per day, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in late May.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has more than doubled its long-range drone production in 2024 compared to the previous year—a staggering 22-fold increase since 2022.
By the end of 2024, Ukraine had developed a total of 324 new types of weapons, according to the Ministry of Strategic Industries.
Read also: How much does a Russian drone attack on Ukraine cost? The question is more complicated than it sounds
We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
22 minutes ago
- Business Insider
A front-line Ukrainian unit says it made a new kind of robot to shoot down Russian planes and helicopters
A front-line Ukrainian military unit said it built a new robot that can shoot down Russian aircraft. It is said to be the first weapon of its kind in this conflict. The remote-controlled robot offers air defense solutions to front-line fighters without requiring soldiers to expose themselves to the prolific threat of drones. Ukraine has constantly found itself needing air defense options for both its cities and for its troops fighting along the front lines, and has found innovative ways to get there. "Russian aviation poses a threat not only to peaceful cities but also directly to the front line," Ukraine's 28th Mechanized Brigade explained in a post on the Telegram messaging app, adding that Russian planes, helicopters, and reconnaissance drones appear over infantry positions regularly. In the past, soldiers could use man-portable air defenses to shoot down the aircraft, "but now the situation has changed," the 28th said, according to a translation of the statement. Russian drones"literally hang in the air, tracking every movement and not even allowing soldiers to raise their heads from the trenches." The unit said it responded to this problem by arming a ground robot with an "Igla" surface-to-air missile system, developing the country's first air defense system mounted on an uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV). The 9K38 Igla is a Soviet-era man-portable air defense system, known as MANPADS. It is essentially a shoulder-launched weapon that fires munitions at higher-threat targets like planes, helicopters, and cruise missiles that might be beyond the reach of machine guns. It's unclear how many targets this robotic system will have the chance to engage. Over the course of the war, Ukraine has destroyed or damaged over 300 Russian aircraft and helicopters, per the open-source intelligence site Oryx, which tracks equipment losses on both sides, but aircraft of all different types are still flying. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine triggered an arms race, with Moscow and Kyiv rushing to develop and field new technology that could help give them an edge in the grinding conflict. Drone warfare and robotics have emerged as leading areas of innovation by far, as uncrewed systems are being used in combat on the ground, in the air, and at sea. Russia and Ukraine have continuously tried to adapt their drones to outsmart the enemy. The air defense robot is one of the latest examples of innovation with UGVs. The Ukrainian armed forces, for instance, have been experimenting with automated machine gun turrets, which allow troops to keep their heads down in combat. Front-line units are mounting .50-caliber machine guns and grenade launchers on ground vehicles. And a Ukrainian company is said to have developed a new ground combat robot that can carry and launch multiple first-person-view drones, acting like a mothership. Other UGVs can carry out additional combat and logistics missions, such as delivering ammunition to troop positions, evacuating wounded soldiers, placing land mines, and detonating next to enemy armored vehicles.
Los Angeles Times
22 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
NATO to coordinate regular and large-scale arm deliveries to Ukraine. Most will be bought in the US
BRUSSELS — NATO has started coordinating regular deliveries of large weapons packages to Ukraine after the Netherlands said it would provide air defense equipment, ammunition and other military aid worth $578 million. Sweden also announced Tuesday it would contribute $275 million to a joint effort along with its Nordic neighbors Denmark and Norway to provide $500 million worth of air defenses, anti-tank weapons, ammunition and spare parts. Two deliveries of equipment, most of it bought in the United States, are expected this month, although the Nordic package is expected to arrive in September. The equipment is supplied based on Ukraine's priority needs on the battlefield. NATO allies then locate the weapons and ammunition and send them on. 'Packages will be prepared rapidly and issued on a regular basis,' NATO said Monday. Air defense systems are in greatest need. The United Nations has said that Russia's relentless pounding of urban areas behind the front line has killed more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians. Russia's bigger army is also making slow but costly progress along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. Currently, it is waging an operation to take the eastern city of Pokrovsk, a logistical hub whose fall could allow it to drive deeper into Ukraine. European allies and Canada are buying most of the equipment they plan to send from the United States, which has greater stocks of ready military materiel, as well as more effective weapons. The Trump administration is not giving any arms to Ukraine. The new deliveries will come on top of other pledges of military equipment. The Kiel Institute, which tracks support to Ukraine, estimates that as of June, European countries had provided 72 billion euros ($83 billion) worth of military aid since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, compared to $65 billion in U.S. aid. Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said that 'American air defense systems and munitions, in particular, are crucial for Ukraine to defend itself.' Announcing the deliveries Monday, he said Russia's attacks are 'pure terror, intended to break Ukraine.' President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude to the Netherlands, posting on social media that 'Ukraine, and thus the whole of Europe, will be better protected from Russian terror.' He said the deliveries are coming 'at a time when Russia is trying to scale up its strikes. This will definitely help protect the lives of our people!' Germany said Friday it will deliver two more Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine in the coming days. It agreed to the move after securing assurances that the U.S. will prioritize the delivery of new Patriots to Germany to backfill its stocks. These weapon systems are only made in the U.S. As an organization, NATO provides only non-lethal assistance to Ukraine like uniforms, tents, medical supplies and logistics support. The 32-nation military alliance has mostly sought to protect NATO territory from possible Russian attack and avoid being dragged into a war against a nuclear power. But its support role has expanded since President Trump took office in January, even as his administration insists European allies must now take care of their own security and that of their war-ravaged neighbor. Trump has made no public promise of weapons or economic support for Ukraine. Trump said on July 28 that the U.S. is 'going to be sending now military equipment and other equipment to NATO, and they'll be doing what they want, but I guess it's for the most part working with Ukraine.' Cook writes for the Associated Press. Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, and Kirsten Grieshaber and David Keyton in Berlin contributed to this report.
Newsweek
23 minutes ago
- Newsweek
US Military Holds Arctic Defense Drills With Eye on Russia Threat
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States is conducting its annual Arctic-themed military drill in Alaska to bolster its ability to defend North America amid the persistent threat posed by neighboring Russia. Newsweek has contacted the Russian defense and foreign ministries for comment via email. Why It Matters Moscow maintains a strong presence in the Arctic—a rising geopolitical frontier between Russia and the West—through the construction of military outposts, the deployment of military aircraft near Alaska's airspace and cooperative activities with its quasi-ally China. Last summer, the U.S. military released its updated Arctic strategy, calling for an increased presence in the region, which is now more accessible because of climate change. More recently, U.S. and Canadian fighter jets staged a show of force over an Alaskan island near the Russian border. What To Know A joint and combined field training exercise, code-named Arctic Edge 2025, commenced on Friday and took place at multiple locations across Alaska. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the U.S. Northern Command are conducting the drill. Besides U.S. forces, the exercise—scheduled to conclude at the end of this month—involves participation from the United Kingdom, Denmark and U.S. interagency partners, including the FBI and Alaskan state and local law enforcement. A United States F-16 fighter jet, left, intercepts a Russian Tu-95 bomber, right, over the Bering Sea near Alaska on July 22. A United States F-16 fighter jet, left, intercepts a Russian Tu-95 bomber, right, over the Bering Sea near Alaska on July 22. U.S. Department of Defense The defensive war game seeks to improve readiness and demonstrate capabilities in the Arctic, according to the U.S. Northern Command. Its key objectives include detecting, tracking and engaging "advanced cruise missile threats" in the northern approaches. The Tu-95MS bomber—one of the Russian aircraft that approached Alaska—is capable of carrying six to 16 cruise missiles, according to the Federation of American Scientists. Russian submarines stationed in the Far East are also capable of launching cruise missiles. Meanwhile, the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies—the Pentagon's regional center at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska—announced on July 30 that it had hosted the Arctic Operational Risk Course for U.S. and Canadian forces for the first time. The course—organized from July 14 to 18—sought to deepen operational preparedness in the Arctic while advancing U.S. homeland defense objectives by providing new tools to anticipate and mitigate risks in "one of the world's most complex operating environments," the center said. What People Are Saying The U.S. Northern Command said in a news release on July 28: "ARCTIC EDGE is an annual defense exercise designed to demonstrate engaged forces that are postured and ready to assure, deter, and defend North America in an increasingly complex Arctic security environment." The Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies said in a news release on July 30: "The [Arctic Operational Risk Course] is built around applied learning: expert-led panels, case studies, and breakout sessions centered on real-world scenarios drawn from Alaska and the broader Arctic region." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the Russian military will deploy aircraft or vessels near Alaska during Exercise Arctic Edge 2025 to demonstrate its ability to operate in the frigid region.
