Russia Plans Major Surge in Shahed Drone Production to Escalate Attacks on Ukraine
Russia is preparing to drastically increase its production of Shahed-type attack drones, aiming to reach 5,000 units per month, security analyst Pavlo Lakiychuk revealed during a broadcast on My-Ukraine TV on June 5, The Gaze reports, citing United 24 Media.
“Russia is currently producing around 2,000 drones per month, but plans to scale that to 5,000,” said Lakiychuk, a Navy Captain and head of security programs at the Center for Global Studies ‘Strategy XXI.’
He warned that these drones have become one of the most serious threats to Ukraine’s security. “Each threat must be assessed individually to determine appropriate countermeasures,” he noted.
Lakiychuk stressed that Shahed drones, due to their quantity and recurring use, can be more dangerous than missiles—especially in terms of civilian harm and infrastructure destruction.
“These drones, while less advanced than high-tech missiles, are more dangerous because of their sheer numbers,” he added.
The warning comes amid renewed Russian strikes across Donetsk oblast, where one civilian was killed and five injured in recent drone and missile attacks. In Rodynske, in the Pokrovsk district, residential buildings, garages, and public infrastructure were heavily damaged. Emergency crews have extinguished all fires resulting from the strikes.
Read more on The Gaze: Russia Starts Using More Destructive Shahed Drones Against Ukraine, Military Observer Says