‘8,150 drones in a month': Putin’s drone army explodes as Ukraine urgently seeks more air defense?

Russia’s war in Ukraine has entered another intense phase as Moscow unleashes a record wave of missile and drone attacks across the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has renewed urgent appeals for Western military assistance, warning that stronger air-defense capabilities are essential to protect Ukrainian cities from escalating Russian strikes. According to recent reports, Russia launched a record 8,150 long-range drones during May, marking a significant increase in aerial attacks and highlighting Moscow’s growing reliance on unmanned warfare. While Ukrainian forces continue to intercept the majority of incoming missiles and drones, officials warn that the sheer volume of attacks is placing unprecedented strain on existing air-defense systems. Zelensky has called additional U.S.-supplied Patriot missile systems “absolutely necessary” and urged Europe to develop stronger independent anti-ballistic defenses. His appeal comes after one of the deadliest Russian assaults in recent months, which left at least 23 people dead and more than 100 injured across Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia says its defense industry is producing up to 15,000 FPV drones per day, reflecting a dramatic expansion of its military-industrial capacity. Ukrainian officials fear Moscow’s rapidly growing drone arsenal could pave the way for even larger and more frequent attacks in the months ahead. Will Ukraine receive the air-defense support it says is urgently needed? And how will Russia’s expanding drone campaign shape the next stage of the war?