Since beginning of year, russians launched over 2,000 Shaheds across Ukraine. What is hit percentage?

Since the beginning of 2024, the russian occupiers have launched 2,277 Shahed-type drones over the territory of Ukraine. Ukrainian defenders of the sky destroyed 86% of them.

The commander of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Mykola Oleshchuk has announced this.

"Since January 1, 2024, the Russian occupiers have launched 2,277 Shahed attack drones over the territory of Ukraine. About 86 percent - 1,953 Shaheds - have been destroyed by air defense," the report says.

Oleshchuk emphasized that such results were achieved thanks to the increase in combat capabilities of the mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.

"These are thousands of servicemen who go to firing positions almost every night and shoot enemy UAVs with all the weapons they have," he added.

The commander of the Air Force explained that the creation of mobile fire groups is a forced step of the Air Force since the beginning of the russian invasion, since the enemy is constantly increasing its attacks with a large number of air attack vehicles, especially attack UAVs.

He informed that currently the small arms, surface to air guns, MANPADS that are in service with the mobile fire groups are modified, have additional equipment capable of ensuring a good result of combat work - night vision devices, thermal imagers, optics, laser pointers, searchlights, EW devices, software, off-road vehicles.

"More than 80 percent of the downed Shaheds are precisely on account of the mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces of Ukraine," he stressed.

Oleshchuk thanked those who provide the necessary equipment for effective work, that is, charitable foundations, local communities, volunteers, activists, Ukrainians and the world community, for increasing the accuracy of the mobile fire groups.

"The war is reaching a new technological level every time, UAVs of various types are gaining more and more weight, artificial intelligence is being introduced. Mobile fire groups are also being improved. With a high probability, UAV interceptor operators and other new weapons, in particular combat lasers, will appear in their composition," Oleshchuk announced.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, in the meantime, the second batch of surface to air missiles for Patriot air defense systems from Spain arrived in Ukraine.