Russia ramps up jet-powered drone attacks on Kyiv – Air Force

Currently, most of the drones attacking Ukraine are jet-powered: of more than 1,500 drones recorded over the past four days, approximately 800 had jet engines.

The enemy's primary target remains infrastructure in Kyiv.

"In July, we saw five times more jet-powered drones deployed than in June," Ihnat said.

“That's the month when the buildup of these drones — as well as the Banderol munitions... whose flight parameters are close to cruise missiles, flying at 600 kilometers per hour (about 375 mph) — significantly ramped up.”

Russian forces have realized that Ukraine's Defense Forces cannot shoot down jet-powered drones using the same standard air-defense systems deployed against regular Shahed UAVs. Intercepting these drones requires ground-based surface-to-air missile systems, aviation complexes, and fighter jets equipped with air-to-air missiles, Ihnat said.

"They are being shot down — actively shot down," the spokesman added.

“I understand there are a lot of questions from the public about why some reach Kyiv. Far from all of them reach Kyiv.”

He added that Russian forces are attacking Kyiv and the surrounding region with jet-powered drones from all directions and frequently take advantage of weather conditions that make it harder for air defenses to intercept them.

Russia has now attacked Kyiv and the surrounding region with drones almost continuously for a fifth straight day, with dozens of air raid alerts sounding in the capital daily. Overnight into Aug. 31, Russia struck Ukraine with a Kh-59 guided air-launched missile and 121 Shahed attack drones, most of them jet-powered. Air defenses neutralized 96 of the drones, the Air Force reported.

By the afternoon of Aug. 31, air raid alerts had already sounded eight times in Kyiv. In Kyiv Oblast, there were reports of large-scale fires, damage to warehouse facilities in several districts, and casualties.