Kyiv has experienced hours of daytime air raids and warnings as Russia has fired 800 jet-powered drones into Ukraine in four days. These faster weapons are being used to sustain prolonged waves of attacks.
The new-model Shahed drones can reach cruising speeds of 200mph to 250mph, which is approximately double the 115mph of the piston-engine version. This speed makes them more challenging for Ukraine’s cheaper interceptors to stop.
Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy stated on Sunday that jet-powered models now constitute over half of the drones Russia uses to attack the country. He noted that Ukraine is currently relying on combat aircraft to shoot them down.
Last Thursday, a Geran-4, the latest jet-powered model, struck an ammunition dump at Myla, a village 15 miles west of Kyiv. This attack resulted in 38 fatalities and hours of secondary explosions, destroying warehouses and damaging nearby homes.
Russia has also used these drones extensively in daytime attacks over the past five days, leading to numerous air alerts, especially in Kyiv. Eight air raid alerts were sounded in Kyiv by lunchtime on Monday.
Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to President Zelenskyy on defence technology, indicated that at least 2,500 jet drones were launched into Ukraine during August, an increase from 1,500 the previous month. Production date stamps suggest they are being fired within days of manufacture.