(KYIV, UKRAINE) – Ukrainian forces operating under the Third Army Corps reported a large increase in air defence activity against Russian drones, saying that 1,390 unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed in February.
The figures were released by the Third Army Corps, which said the results reflected the expansion of layered air defence positions across the corps area of responsibility.
According to the corps, the effort formed part of what Ukrainian forces described as the spring air defence season, during which units intensified operations against Russian drone attacks and aerial reconnaissance.
The corps said that during February alone Ukrainian air defence units intercepted 1,390 Russian UAVs, preventing hundreds of attempted strikes and reconnaissance missions.
Among the intercepted aircraft were 581 strike drones used for attacks against Ukrainian positions.
The report stated that Ukrainian units destroyed 509 Molniya drones, 26 Lancet loitering munitions, 36 Shahed attack drones, nine Gerbera drones, one KUB drone and two heavy bomber type UAVs.
The corps also reported shooting down 49 reconnaissance drones used for surveillance and targeting.
These included 22 ZALA reconnaissance UAVs, ten KVO drones, eight Orlan aircraft, four SKAT drones, two SuperCam systems, one Granat drone and one Scalpel system.
Ukrainian forces said one of the destroyed aircraft was a relatively rare Merlin reconnaissance drone. Officials added that the loss represented hundreds of thousands of US dollars in equipment removed from the Russian military inventory.
In addition to the larger platforms, Ukrainian units also destroyed 758 smaller drones that were used for reconnaissance and tactical battlefield tasks.
The results were attributed to coordinated operations by several formations operating under the Third Army Corps.
These included the 3rd Assault Brigade, the 60th Separate Mechanised Brigade, the 63rd Separate Mechanised Brigade, the 125th Separate Territorial Defence Brigade, and the 1030th Aquila Air Defence Battalion, along with other subordinate units of the corps.
The corps said the operations were designed to maintain control of the airspace above frontline areas in order to protect Ukrainian troops and civilian infrastructure on the ground.
