Syrskyi: Ukraine faces critical shortage of anti-drone weapons
Ukraine's forces are grappling with a shortage of anti-aircraft missiles crucial for countering Russian reconnaissance drones such as the Zala and “Orlan-10,” revealed Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. As missile supplies dwindle, troops have had to resort to alternative measures.
Russian reconnaissance drones, capable of penetrating up to 100-150 kilometers into Ukrainian territory, pose a significant challenge, especially given the current scarcity of anti-aircraft munitions specifically designed to counter such threats, said General Lieutenant Oleksandr Syrskyi highlighted these issues on his Telegram channel.
Syrsky initially described the hotspots along the 800-kilometer front, stretching from the western Kherson region to the eastern Kharkiv region. Critical zones experiencing intense combat include Dnipro islands, Pokrovsk, Krasnohvardiiske, Progress, Zalizne, Sjeverne, and Chasiv Yar. To counter a numerically superior enemy, the effective use of available weaponry is essential. Unfortunately, according to Syrskyi, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) lack sufficient short-range anti-aircraft missiles to neutralize surveillance drones that monitor Ukrainian positions. Given this deficit, troops are resorting to electronic warfare technology and FPV drones, Syrskyi explained.
"The emphasis is also on mastering new methods to destroy enemy UAVs in light of the extreme shortage of short-range anti-aircraft missiles," said Syrskyi, outlining how they plan to counteract the enemy effectively.
In addition, the commander confirmed an assessment of reserves and the quality of troop training, ensuring that the training is adapted to the new realities of warfare. For example, soldiers are trained to survive drone-drop attacks and FPV drone strikes.
Russian forces have been using reconnaissance drones to strike UAF airfields. A Western publication reported that during the first week of July, Russian forces launched missiles at three airfields in the Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava regions, located 100-150 kilometers from the front line. Russia claimed to have damaged several Ukrainian MiG-29 and Su-27 aircraft. Ukrainian officials pointed out that Russian drones indeed managed to penetrate deep into territory controlled by Ukraine.
Footage from spring 2024 circulated on social media showing one method employed by the UAF to down Russian drones. The video features a Yak-52 training sports aircraft coming close to a Russian UAV somewhere above the Odessa region. Counting the markings on the aircraft's fuselage, it's evident that this method has successfully targeted multiple Russian drones.
Another tactic was showcased on June 1, illustrating the use of FPV drones against Zala and Orlan-10. The footage depicted Zala’s maneuvers followed by an FPV drone catching up and crashing into its "tail".