Is a catastrophe looming due to «Shahed» attacks? Serviceman outlines new threat scenarios
A Ukrainian serviceman identified the condition under which countering shelling would be most effective.
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Military expert Valerii Borovyk does not rule out that Russia will increase the shelling of Ukraine with «Shaheds» / © TSN
Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, particularly with strike drones, are increasing in frequency, according to Valerii Borovyk, an active Ukrainian serviceman and founder of a company producing strike drones, in an interview with TSN.ua.
In a recent television appearance, he noted that the situation has shifted, and cities like Kyiv could become among the least protected against Russian drone strikes due to the enemy’s scaling-up of attacks.
«Russia is rapidly expanding production of kamikaze drones like the „Shahed.“ There won’t be a catastrophic surge, as some experts predict, with Russia producing 1,000–2,000 units per day. But we must prepare for a 10–20% monthly increase if Russia sustains this pace of production, ” Borovyk explained.
He adds: «Air defense systems are struggling to keep up with this escalation. Kinetic neutralization, such as mobile fire groups using machine guns, has become less effective. „Shaheds“ fly at altitudes above 2–3 km, out of reach for machine guns. Some drones are destroyed using alternative tactics, but overall effectiveness has decreased.»
According to Borovyk, Russia is also ramping up missile production. «Meanwhile, air defense systems like Patriot are not scaling up, while Russia boosts its capabilities. This message is not for our military, who are doing heroic work, but for our foreign partners, urging them to make faster decisions and unblock supplies of strike capabilities that allow us to target enemy production facilities.»
Borovyk says, that now Ukrainian missile capabilities do not allow us to do this.
«Russian facilities are located in remote areas, and we need to reach them. Currently, we’re using long-range drones, but we also need long-range missiles and other tools. Traditional air defense alone won’t stop these attacks, ” he says.
In summary, Borovyk suggested developing non-traditional air defense methods that were not prioritized before.
«Our state is seriously exploring interceptor drones. We also need more electronic warfare systems and aviation. Additionally, operations like „Spider’s Web"—strikes on production facilities and sabotage in Russia — are critical, ” he concluded.