- Category
- War in Ukraine
Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces Hit 180,000 Targets in May, Neutralised More Russian Troops Than Recruited
Prefer U24 Media on Google
- Authors
![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Since the beginning of 2026, Ukrainian drone operators have neutralised 12,500 more Russian personnel than Russia has recruited into its armed forces over the same period, according to Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on June 11.
He stressed that Ukraine is increasingly competitive in what he described as a technological contest defined by innovation and production capacity.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
According to him, Ukrainian forces now hold a 1.5-to-1 advantage over Russia in FPV drone operations, with this gap continuing to widen in Ukraine’s favour in recent months.
Syrskyi also outlined operational results for May, saying Ukrainian unmanned systems units struck nearly 180,000 verified enemy targets, marking a 12.7% increase compared to April.
During the same period, Ukrainian forces destroyed around 4,000 Russian Shahed-type drones and struck approximately 10,000 positions of enemy drone operators. The number of intercepted Shaheds increased by 27% month-on-month.
Separately, ground-based robotic systems carried out 12,500 missions in May, including ammunition delivery, logistics support, medical evacuation, and other frontline tasks. Syrskyi noted that while their use is expanding, their potential remains underutilised due to supply and procurement challenges since the start of the year.
He also highlighted the results of Ukraine’s “Middle Strike” programme, under which nearly 2,000 strikes were conducted on operational and tactical depth targets in May alone.
According to Syrskyi, Ukrainian forces hit 414 Russian command posts, headquarters, staging areas and other critical facilities during the month.
He added that improved effectiveness of strikes at ranges of up to 200 kilometres has been enabled by the creation of coordination centres within army corps, which have strengthened cooperation between units of the Defense Forces.
Marking the first-ever Unmanned Systems Day on June 11, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that drones have become an indispensable element of modern warfare, with Ukrainian unmanned systems operating both on the front line and against critical targets hundreds of kilometres behind enemy lines.
According to Zelenskyy, the effectiveness and precision of Ukrainian drone operators have contributed to Russian monthly losses exceeding 30,000 killed and wounded personnel.
Alongside reported gains in drone warfare, Ukrainian forces have also advanced in key operational areas. According to an assessment by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) published on June 9, Ukrainian troops have made progress in two sectors of the front line—near Borova in the Kharkiv region and in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area of the Donetsk region.
Additional advances were recorded in northwestern Chasiv Yar and northeast of Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region. ISW also noted Ukrainian movement in both eastern and western parts of Kostyantynivka, in areas where Russian sources had previously claimed a presence.
Discuss this article:
-9a7b3a98ed5c506e0b77a6663f5727c5.png)
-111f0e5095e02c02446ffed57bfb0ab1.jpeg "Photo of Roman Kohanets")
