Top Ukrainian commander says drones hit over 67,000 Russian targets in a month, offering a look into the onslaught

Ukraine's top commander said his forces have used drones to hit nearly 70,000 Russian targets in recent weeks.Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty ImagesUkrainian drones hit over 67,000 Russian targets in August, Kyiv's top commander said on Monday.The figure underscores the substantial role that drones are playing in combat on both sides.Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said Kyiv's "deep strike" weapons also hit 60 targets in Russia last month.Ukrainian drones hit nearly 70,000 Russian targets in August, Kyiv's top commander revealed on Monday, offering a new numerical look into how prolific this technology is in battle.The figure speaks to the growing role that drones are playing on the battlefield, as Ukraine and Russia use uncrewed systems in the air, on the ground, and at sea to execute a host of operations, including attack, reconnaissance, and logistics missions."Overall, our drones struck more than 67,000 enemy targets last month," Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in a recap of the fighting in August. He said that the effectiveness of drone strikes under the "middle strike" program, likely referring to mid-range targets, increased by 25%.Business Insider reached out to Ukraine's defense ministry for additional information about the figures, including what targets were hit, but has not yet received a response. The figures presented represent just one side of the massive drone war unfolding across Ukrainian battlefields.Both Ukraine and Russia field drones of various ranges to strike targets at the front and behind the lines. These systems can be small, cheap quadcopter drones controlled by radio frequencies or tethered to their operators by a fiber-optic cable that have a reach of usually around 10 miles or larger fixed-wing drones capable of flying hundreds of miles into enemy territory.Syrskyi said that during the month of August, Ukrainian "deep strike" weapons — usually long-range drones and missiles that can reach into Russian territory — struck 60 targets inside Russia. Kyiv's attacks usually focus on high-profile military and energy sites such as air bases, weapons production facilities, and oil refineries.Ukraine and Russia use drones for various operations, including strike, reconnaissance, and logistics missions.Photo by Ukrinform/NurPhotoThe Ukrainian attacks have "weakened" Russia's air defense systems, missile and drone programs, ability to produce fuel for the military, and aerial bombing capabilities, Syrskyi said. He added that Kyiv has also disrupted Russia's transport system.Russia's defense ministry and its embassy in the US did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider about the Ukrainian command-level figures and information.Ukraine is taking hits as well, though. Ukrainian officials said that Russia carried out its largest air attack of the war overnight on Saturday, launching over 800 long-range strike and decoy drones, and more than a dozen cruise and ballistic missiles. The deadly attack damaged Ukraine's government building in Kyiv for the first time since Moscow's full-scale invasion began in 2022."This alone is a serious escalation," said Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine's foreign minister.Like Ukraine, Russia has invested heavily in the development and production of long-range drones — specifically, its own variant of the Iranian-designed Shahed-136 loitering munitions. Recent Western assessments suggest that Moscow might eventually be able to launch 2,000 of these systems in a single night.To defend against the increase in Russian Shahed-type drone attacks this year without further taxing an already-strained air defense network, Ukraine is relying more on interceptor drones as a low-cost air defense solution. Kyiv said that nearly a fifth of the attack drones were taken out by the interceptors during the massive attack over the weekend.Read the original article on Business Insider

Comments

Business News

University staff to vote on strikes over pay

Evening Standard

Comments

Similar News

Rihanna Charts Several New Top 10s As Fans Return To An Older Song

Morgan Wallen Trades One Top 10 Smash For Another

Bruce Springsteen Charts A Brand New Top 10 Song In America

Holidays ‘top spending priority’ for households, survey finds

Survey reveals families’ top spending priority – and it’s not shopping or eating out

Top White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett says Fed needs full independence from Trump

The Who Hits The Top 10 In America

Last-minute money tips for university: top tips and tricks to help you save

Dolly Parton Returns With A New Top 10 Bestseller

Klarna dials back remote work and says it's losing top talent to companies with stronger in-office culture as IPO nears

Lawsuit against a top ad agency says it made big DEI claims but discriminated against Black execs

Billy Joel Earns His First Top 10 Album On A Billboard Chart

Deftones Own 80% Of The Top 10 On A Billboard Chart

How one of the best ballerinas in America stays on top despite two injuries

Top Tech: Samsung's new Galaxy S25 FE launches with £23 deal and £370 freebies

10 best rugby tops from the high street, chosen by a fashion editor

‘Hamilton’ Sets Record-Breaking Top Ticket Price

Palantir CEO Alex Karp says top tech talent is about to get 'crazy valuable'

As gold prices climb, precious metals at Costco are top sellers &mdash; and a cheat code for boosting its e-commerce business

Florida, Florida State And Miami Are Each In Top 15 For First Time Since 2006

Business News

University staff to vote on strikes over pay

FTSE 100 closes higher as gold and oil climb

Elon Musk’s SpaceX to pay $17B to EchoStar for wireless licenses to boost Starlink network

Cincinnati Survives Cleveland, But Ugly Start Shows Concerns

Appeals Court Upholds E. Jean Carroll’s $83 Million Win Against Trump

Taylor Swift Partners With One Of America’s Biggest Companies For A Special Sale

Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek And Coco Gauff: Women’s Tennis Big 3

It’s Not The Trump Administration’s Place To Dictate Energy Usage

JR Motorsport Re-Signs Sammy Smith For 2026

Alex Warren, Suni Lee, Jake Shane And More To Join Forbes’ Flagship 2025 Under 30 Summit In Columbus, OH

Ugg's new style of boot for autumn 2025 is dividing the internet– would you wear them?

Shoppers bag £250 worth of 'luxury' skincare, haircare and more with £35 beauty box

Kate Middleton's go-to wellies just launched an unexpected autumn collaboration

Renault unveils stylish new Clio - but Britons have to wait a year longer than the French to get their hands on one

Estate cars will live on despite EV switch and SUV domination: Skoda previews big-booted future model

UK firms halt hiring amid fears over Budget

Low-deposit mortgage choice ‘hits 17-year high’

University staff to vote on strikes over pay

Robinhood joins new band of companies calling the S&P 500 their home

Trump demands foreign firms in US ‘hire and train’ Americans — as ICE raid on Hyundai jolts Korean companies

Low-deposit mortgage choice ‘hits 17-year high’

Like Target, Cracker Barrel Suffered From Brand Amnesia

‘Wednesday’ Season 3 Needs To Break Netflix’s Biggest Rule

US Open Bling: The Most Expensive Watches And Jewelry Wasn’t Worn By The Winners (Full List)

SpaceX Purchasing Wireless Spectrum Licenses From EchoStar For $17 Billion

Howard Stern Fools Listeners—And The Media—With Abrupt Retirement Hoax

Rihanna Charts Several New Top 10s As Fans Return To An Older Song

Why The Conjuring: Last Rites’ Record Box Office Makes No Sense

ESW And Shopify Fuel International E-Commerce For Enterprise Brands

The Creator Economy Grows Up: Why Big YouTube Channels Are Taking Institutional Money

New York Giants Takeaways: Russell Wilson, Jaxson Dart, Offensive Line

Shaboozey Finally Doubles His Total Number Of No. 1 Hits

Yes, Content Is Still King, But AI Alone Can’t Wear The Crown

‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’ Arrives With A Stunning Rotten Tomatoes Score

Bears Positioned To Benefit From Investment In Offensive Line

UN Experts Call For A General Assembly Emergency Meeting On Gaza

From Duel In The Sun To Today: Trump Turnberry’s Return To Greatness

Cardi B’s New Single Falls Off The Hot 100 After One Week — But It’s Just Getting Started At Radio

‘The Penguin’ Won These Eight Emmys Before The Main Show Even Started

Trump Approval Rating: Up 2 Points In Latest Survey—Though Majority Reject National Guard Takeovers

Morgan Wallen Trades One Top 10 Smash For Another

BRICS+ On The Brink: Brazil Pushes Climate While Russia Holds The Line

Low-deposit mortgage choice ‘hits 17-year high’

Food flavourings firm Treatt set for £156.6m takeover by rival Natara

Insurer Phoenix changing name to Standard Life next year

Guyana's president sworn in for a second term as oil wealth transforms the nation

South Koreans feel betrayed over detainment of hundreds of workers at plant raid in Georgia

Mexico says it's cracking down on fuel theft and critics say it underscores the depth of the problem

Explosive testimony identifies legislators, officials in Philippine flood-control corruption inquiry

Tottenham says club is 'not for sale' after rejecting 2 expressions of interest

Indonesian leader fires the ministers of finance and security after deadly protests across the country

The leadership race for Japan's governing LDP party explained

A rebel-held Congolese city uses damaged banknotes due to a cash shortage

All Of The Performances From The 2025 VMAs

Starbucks Cafe Of The Future Central To Second Coming Of Third Space

Bruce Springsteen Charts A Brand New Top 10 Song In America

Darius Rucker On Why He Gives Back Through Golf

As gold prices climb, precious metals at Costco are top sellers — and a cheat code for boosting its e-commerce business