Russian drone assault eases in December, weather, defence efforts take a toll British Defence Intelligence reports

Russia launched approximately 1,700 One Way Attack Uncrewed Aerial Systems (OWA UAS) into Ukraine in December 2024, marking a decrease from the 2,300 recorded in November, according to a recent Defence Intelligence update.

This reduction is the first observed since March-April 2024 and could be attributed to adverse weather conditions early in the month, Caliber.Az reports.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that over half, 53%, of the Russian OWA UAS were intercepted and destroyed. The remainder were either disrupted through electronic warfare measures or veered off course without posing a significant threat.

Despite the drop in launch figures, experts suggest that Russia is likely to continue launching at least 1,500 OWA UAS per month, as operational factors vary.

Weather conditions appear to have played a role in the fluctuating launch rates, with multiple waves of over 100 OWA UAS following periods of low or no activity, raising questions about the impact of weather on operational consistency.

By Aghakazim Guliyev