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Russia Could Unleash 2,000 Drones on Ukraine at Once, German General Warns
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Germany’s Ministry of Defense has raised concerns over Russia’s growing capability to conduct large-scale drone strikes against Ukraine, potentially involving up to 2,000 unmanned aerial vehicles in a single coordinated attack.
According to Major General Christian Freuding, head of the Situation Center for Ukraine at Germany’s Ministry of Defense, Moscow is actively expanding its drone production capacity.
He said that such mass deployment could present a major challenge for Ukraine’s air defense systems, which are not optimized for intercepting large volumes of low-cost drones simultaneously.
In an interview with Nachgefragt, Freuding emphasized that current air defense solutions, such as the Patriot missile system, are economically unsustainable when used against relatively inexpensive drones like the Shahed. A single Shahed-type drone is estimated to cost between €30,000 and €50,000, while one Patriot interceptor missile costs over €5 million.
Freuding underscored the need for cost-effective countermeasures, ideally in the €2,000–€4,000 range per interception. He noted that developing such systems is essential to respond effectively to large-scale Russian drone attacks.
As part of Ukraine’s strategic response, the German general also highlighted the importance of striking military infrastructure deep inside Russian territory. These targets include airfields, aircraft, and defense industry facilities involved in drone production.
Freuding also pointed to recent shifts in China’s policy, noting that Beijing has ceased supplying drone components to Ukraine and has instead redirected its exports to Russia. According to him, this move has significantly constrained Ukraine’s access to essential drone-related technologies.
Earlier, on July 15, Ukrainian forces shot down Russia’s 30,000th Shahed drone, identified by the serial number “Ы30000,” indicating it was produced at the Alabuga facility in Tatarstan. The find highlights the scale of Russia’s drone production and growing reliance on mass UAV attacks. According to Defense Express, over 18,000 drones from the same production line were manufactured in the first half of 2025 alone.
