Drone Race: How Ukraine's Defense Technology Redefined Russia's War

In its most recent attacks against Ukraine, Russia hit cities with dozens of ballistic missiles, knowing full well that this is one of the few weapons to which Ukraine remains vulnerable. As for drones, here Kiev has mastered both defensive and offensive know-how.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Moscow's main military advantage has been its scale: a large standing force, extensive reserves and the legacy of a Soviet-era military system that long made it one of the largest armies in the world.

However, more than four years after the start of Moscow's war, this advantage has been increasingly challenged.

Ukrainian forces have shown that sheer numbers of soldiers alone no longer guarantee success on the battlefield, with drone technology helping to largely offset Russia's demographic weight and reshaping the dynamics of modern warfare not only in Ukraine.

The drone revolution in Ukraine

What began in 2022 as a desperate attempt by Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers to adapt civilian “wedding drones” for military purposes culminated in the first time in history that an enemy position was taken under control using only robotic systems, forcing Russian soldiers to surrender.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in April that in the first three months of 2026, ground robotic systems carried out more than 22,000 missions on Ukraine's front lines.

"In other words, lives were saved more than 22,000 times when a robot went to the most dangerous areas instead of a fighter. This is about high technology protecting the highest value - human life," Zelenskyy declared.

According to Kiev officials, Russia now loses about 30,000-35,000 military personnel – killed and seriously wounded – every month. More specifically, “up to 90% of Russian losses are caused by Ukrainian drones,” Zelenskyy said.

What drones does Kiev use?

The essential difference lies in an increasingly effective Ukrainian campaign with medium-range attacks operating between 20 and 200 km from the front line.

“The number of medium-term strikes has increased significantly,” Zelenskyy admitted in early May.

“There are now twice as many attacks at distances over 20 kilometers compared to March and four times as many compared to February. And there will be even more. This is a priority area.”

Kiev forces are specifically targeting ammunition and fuel depots, as well as Russian command posts.

In this way, Ukraine is forcing Moscow's forces to move further from the front line, putting pressure on already strained Russian logistics and complicating command and control.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said that this strategy of "logistical blockade" aims to "increase pressure on the Russian army in the rear and deny the enemy the ability to conduct sustained offensive operations."

Coupled with long-range Ukrainian attacks on Russia's oil infrastructure, Kiev is causing a fuel crisis with far-reaching military consequences.

Long-range attacks

Kiev has significantly intensified its strategy of deep attacks on Russia, primarily targeting Moscow's oil infrastructure and reducing the Kremlin's ability to benefit from rising oil prices following the war with Iran.

On May 17, Ukraine attacked the Moscow region in Russia, targeting military production sites and oil infrastructure.

"This time, Ukrainian long-range capabilities reached the Moscow region. We clearly say to the Russians: their state must end its war," Zelenskyy said, commenting on the raid.

According to the Ukrainian president, the targets were located more than 500 km from the Ukrainian border and overcame large Russian air defense concentrations around Moscow.

"The territory 1,500 to 2,000 km inside Russia is no longer a 'quiet backwater,'" said the commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert "Magyar" Brovdi.

According to Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck 15 Russian oil refineries between January and May, contributing to a growing fuel crisis in Russia.

"Since May, nearly 40% of Russia's primary oil refining capacity has been deactivated," the Ukrainian president said on Monday.

Ukraine's Interveners

Shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow became heavily dependent on Iranian-designed Shahed drones.

Launched in waves and targeting civilian and infrastructure targets by the hundreds, these one-way attacks by UAVs — now cheaply manufactured in Russia based on Tehran's designs — have remained a major threat to Ukraine and have quickly become Moscow's weapon of choice.

As Russia's all-out war enters its fifth year, the drone interception rate in Ukraine is around 90%, according to Kiev.

Since 2022, Ukraine has developed a complex and multi-layered air defense system against Russian drones, which includes mobile fire groups, often using pickup trucks armed with heavy machine guns, various electronic warfare systems, and interceptors developed domestically by Ukraine.

According to the Ukrainian defense ministry, as of January 7, units of the Armed Forces now receive more than 1,500 specialized anti-Shahed interceptor drones per day.

Their widespread use helps preserve high-value surface-to-air missiles, which are costly and limited in supply in Ukraine's case.

With prices ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 euros, these interceptors are much cheaper than Shahed drones, which can cost between 25,000 and 50,000 euros, making them the most sought-after drones in Ukraine today.

Since the start of the Iran war in late February, Kiev has signed four "drone agreements" with Gulf states.

The price difference is huge compared to the expensive but sophisticated Patriot air defense systems used against Iranian drone attacks in the region, where launching a single missile costs around 3.5 million euros.

Zelenskyy said that nearly 20 countries are interested in a similar agreement as of May 2026, and Kiev is also preparing "a major drone deal with the EU."

With Moscow's recent drone incursions into the Baltic states and Romania, where a Russian drone hit a residential building last week, there is even more interest in Ukraine's interceptors.

Next chapter?

With drone interceptor rates at around 90% and cruise missiles at up to 80%, there is a glaring gap in Ukraine's air defenses: an anti-ballistic missile system.

So far, the US-made Patriot missile remains the only effective weapon to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles. With Washington's policy toward Ukraine and its war in Iran, Patriot missiles are in short supply.

Moscow knows this very well and attacks Ukraine with dozens of ballistic missiles within just a few hours.

"60-65 anti-ballistic missiles per month, compared to the current challenges, are nothing," Zelenskyy said on Sunday.

In an overnight attack on Tuesday, Russia launched 33 ballistic missiles towards Ukraine.

Zelenskyy recently asked US President Donald Trump for a license to produce Patriot interceptor missiles. Asked if he had received a response, Zelenskyy said he hoped to receive one.

"Europe needs its anti-ballistic defense so that this war can finally end," Zelenskyy said after at least 20 people were killed and more than 100 others were injured in one of Moscow's biggest attacks.

The GeoPost