Russia Deploys Over 2,500 Jet-Powered Shahed Drones Against Ukraine in August
Ukrainian defence adviser says Russia launched more than 2,500 jet-powered Shahed drones in August, sending newly manufactured units into combat shortly after production.
Russia increased its use of jet-powered Shahed attack drones in August, launching over 2,500 units against Ukraine, according to Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, an adviser on defence technology to the Ukrainian president. He noted that roughly 1,500 such drones were used in July, indicating a rise of at least 67 percent month-over-month.
"Jet-powered Shaheds are being launched at Ukraine practically straight from the factory," Beskrestnov said.
The adviser said the drones appear to move quickly from production lines to operational deployment, suggesting no large reserve is being stockpiled. Their higher speed, compared with earlier propeller-driven models, makes detection and interception more difficult for Ukrainian air defenses.
Beskrestnov also observed that many drones heading toward Kyiv follow a circuitous route near the Belarusian border rather than a direct path. He hypothesised that the drones' LTE modems may be connecting to Belarusian mobile-network base stations, providing an additional communications or navigation channel.
"I came to the conclusion that the LTE modems on the Shaheds, when flying along this route, are working with Belarusian mobile network base stations," he said.
He considered, but deemed less likely, the possibility that the drones are being controlled through Belarus-based mesh communication nodes.
Earlier, Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevhen Khmara said Ukraine has field-tested four interceptor-drone designs capable of engaging the new jet-powered Shaheds and is working to refine and mass-produce them.