Kyiv says Russia launched around 3,800 drones at Ukraine since 2022

Russia has launched around 3,800 kamikaze drones at Ukraine since September 2022, Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on national television on December 31.

The use of kamikaze drones was incorporated by Russia into its arsenal back in September 2022, along with the use of ballistic and cruise missiles, the latter of which are more expensive to produce, Kyiv Independent reports.

The aim has been to overwhelm Ukraine's air defence capabilities.

While Ukraine's air defence successfully took out most of those drones, air defence remains a significant issue going into 2024, according to Ihnat.

"About 3,000 of those drones were destroyed by the Defense Forces. That is something to think about. We still need more systems to counteract strike drones," he said.