Russia Doubles Use of Kamikaze Drones in Southern Ukraine

Over the past five days, Russian forces have doubled the number of strikes involving loitering munitions and aircraft-type drones, primarily targeting positions held by Ukrainian defense forces. Voloshin noted that daily strikes now exceed 500 units, compared to the previous range of 200 to 250.

Notably, the Dnipro direction has encountered the most significant impacts, with approximately 150 drones reported daily. Despite this increase, Ukrainian defense claims to intercept at least two out of every three drones deployed.

While Ukraine's air defense systems are actively engaging these threats, some drones manage to evade interception due to their greater operational range. Voloshin highlighted that civilians are also facing growing dangers, as artillery strikes on populated areas have surged, especially in the right-bank region of Kherson and along the frontline in Zaporizhzhia.

Over the past few days, the Ukrainian military has recorded at least 40 to 45 shelling incidents per day targeting residential zones. From March 8 to 12, Russian forces launched a total of 226 drone attacks using Shahed-type drones, coupled with 80 airstrikes employing 383 guided munitions and nearly 130 unguided missiles.

Throughout this period, the Ukrainian defense has reported the loss of 1,243 personnel and 587 pieces of military equipment by Russian forces, as they conducted 126 attacks in the southern operational area alone. Voloshin indicated that challenges persist for the Russian military in maintaining stable communication, resulting in further losses among their own units.

The ongoing conflict remains intensely dynamic, with local populations bearing the brunt of the heightened military activity.