“This fall and winter (…) is already a record in terms of the number of Shahed drones. In September more than 500 were used,” Ihnat declared in an interview on national television.
Ihnat contrasted this figure with Russia’s airstrike campaign against Ukraine last winter, when he said some 1,000 Shahed drones were used in six months.
Attacks on energy facilities last winter damaged a significant part of the Ukrainian electricity system and forced most cities to ration electricity and hot water.
Even though Ukraine has strengthened its air defenses, authorities have warned of the risk of a repeat this winter, as the power grid is still far from being rebuilt following the latest bombing campaign.