Air defense forces shoot down 58 "shaheeds" during new Russian attack on Ukraine
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Ukraine
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Air defense forces shoot down 58 "shaheeds" during new Russian attack on Ukraine

Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Air defense forces shoot down 58 "shaheeds" during new Russian attack on Ukraine

On the night of January 14, Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukrainian territory using 80 Shahed attack drones. The launches were carried out from four directions.

Points of attention

  • The Ukrainian Air Force carried out a successful defense, shooting down 58 Shahed attack drones during a large-scale Russian attack.
  • British intelligence indicates a significant decrease in Russian activity in December 2024, compared to the previous month.
  • According to intelligence, weather conditions may affect the frequency and scale of Russian drone attacks on Ukraine.
  • The Ukrainian Air Force shot down 53% of the Russian drones during the attack, some drones were disabled by electronic warfare.
  • Private and apartment buildings, cars, and property of citizens were damaged by the Russian attack, but there are no preliminary casualties, and assistance is being provided to the victims.

The Air Force revealed details of the Russian attack on Ukraine

According to the Air Force, from 6:30 p.m. on January 13, the enemy attacked with strike drones and simulator drones of various types. The launches took place from the Millerovo, Orel, Kursk, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk areas.

The attack was repelled by aviation assets, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, as well as mobile fire groups of the Air Force and Defense Forces of Ukraine.

As of 09:00 on January 14, it was confirmed that 58 Shahed attack drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down in the following regions: Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Odesa, and Kherson.

The downed drones caused damage in Sumy, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Kharkiv, and Cherkasy regions. Private and apartment buildings, cars, and property of citizens were damaged. There are no victims, and assistance is being provided to the injured.

It is also known that 21 enemy drone simulators were disabled without negative consequences for Ukraine.

British intelligence analyzed Russian drone attacks on Ukraine

According to intelligence data, in December 2024, Russia carried out about 1,700 launches of strike drones of various types over the territory of Ukraine. This is less than in November, when the number of launches reached 2,300.

Thus, for the first time since March-April 2024, a decrease in activity was recorded.

British intelligence suggests that weather conditions may have played a role, as evidenced by periods of low or no activity alternating with waves of attacks in which more than 100 drones were launched overnight.

Attack results:

  • The Ukrainian Air Force shot down 53% of Russian drones.

  • Other drones were disabled by electronic warfare or deviated from course without causing significant damage.

British analysts noted that the monthly number of attacks could be influenced by various factors, but Russia is likely to be able to maintain the launch rate at at least 1,500 drones per month.

Category
Ukraine
Publication date

The US secretly supported the development of the drone industry in Ukraine — exactly how

a drone
Source:  The New York Times

The administration of current US President Joe Biden has declassified the last piece of information about military support for Ukraine. The data refers to secret support for the military drone industry.

Points of attention

  • The US administration under President Joe Biden declassified secret military support for Ukraine's drone industry, investing in the production of new generation drones with significant strategic impact.
  • Cooperation between American technology companies and Ukrainian drone manufacturers enhances the exchange of experience and boosts Ukraine's defense potential through advanced weaponry development.
  • Ukraine independently develops military equipment including naval drones and domestic missiles, escalating its defense capabilities and ensuring effective combat in modern warfare scenarios.
  • Drones have become a key element of modern military strategy, transforming combat tactics and playing a central role in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
  • American investment and support for Ukrainian drone manufacturers, including procurement of spare parts and intelligence assistance, have been crucial in enabling Ukraine to defend itself effectively and innovate in warfare methods.

The US secretly invested in the production of Ukrainian drones

According to American officials, they made major investments that helped Ukraine begin and expand production of drones in the fight against a larger and better-equipped Russian army.

In particular, the support that "remained in the shadows" was aimed at helping Ukraine develop a new generation of drones and revolutionary methods of warfare. After all, in addition to technical support, the United States spent significant funds, in particular $1.5 billion sent in September last year, on developing drone production.

As US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated, this support had a "real strategic impact" on the course of the war.

We have seen drones take an increasingly central place in the fighting in Ukraine and will take a central place in all future battles.

Jake Sullivan

Jake Sullivan

US National Security Advisor

The US helped drone manufacturers procure spare parts. According to people familiar with the events, the US sent intelligence officers to Ukraine to help develop the program.

In an interview this week, CIA Director William J. Burns indirectly mentioned his agency's support for the drone program in Ukraine.

I think our intelligence support has helped the Ukrainians protect themselves. Not just the sharing of intelligence, but also supporting some of the systems that have proven to be so effective.

Sullivan noted that work on drones began after the first Ukrainian counteroffensive in the fall of 2022, when the limits of Ukraine's conventional capabilities became apparent. Work also continued into 2023.

However, the publication writes that the 2023 counteroffensive was a difficult lesson for the Americans in particular. After all, Russian drones attacked tanks and armored vehicles provided by the United States and Europe when they tried to overcome minefields.

After that, the United States quickly increased its support for Ukrainian drone manufacturers. In addition to financial assistance, the Biden administration worked to establish ties between American technology companies and Ukrainian drone manufacturers.

Weapons production in Ukraine

During the full-scale war, Ukraine significantly increased its weapons production. In particular, we are talking about naval drones, as well as new domestic missiles.

In 2024, it became known that Ukraine had developed the "Palyanytsya" drone missile.

Ukraine has also completed testing a line of UAVs with fiber-optic communication. They provide secure control even in conditions of active use of electronic warfare by the enemy.

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