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Russia Has Built Up 6,200 Shahed Drones—and Its Biggest Barrages Could Reach 1,000 at Once
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Russia has accumulated roughly 6,200 Geran strike drones of various versions as of August 2026, Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence told Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi on August 12.
The stockpile is intended to support large-scale combined attacks against Ukraine, allowing Russian forces to unleash much heavier drone waves after periods of accumulation.
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According to Ukrainian military intelligence, Russia’s current production capacity is still insufficient to sustain its highest launch rates over the long term. Instead, Moscow has to build up large reserves of strike drones before carrying out its biggest attacks.
That means periods of lower launch activity do not necessarily indicate a decline in Russia’s ability to strike Ukraine. In many cases, they may simply reflect an effort to rebuild inventories ahead of another major barrage.
Ukraine’s intelligence service estimates that Russia’s most intense drone attacks could involve between 600 and 1,000 UAVs in a single wave.
During periods when Russia is replenishing its stocks, Russian forces typically launch around 150 to 200 drones per attack, while heavier strikes during those phases can rise to roughly 300 drones.
The estimated 6,200-drone reserve gives Moscow enough inventory to prepare multiple large-scale attacks even if its factories cannot replace the weapons at the same pace they are fired.
Geran drones have become a central element of Russia’s long-range strike campaign against Ukraine, often used alongside ballistic and cruise missiles in attempts to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.
Earlier, reports emerged that Russia’s defense industry produces approximately 3,000 Geran-4/5 strike drones each month.
The use of these drone variants has become increasingly widespread as Russia improves their flight and technical characteristics, including capabilities intended to help them penetrate Ukrainian air defenses.
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