Over 60–80% of drones break down during combat missions — military expert

He shared this on Espreso TV.

“The high effectiveness of drones at the front is mainly due to the shortage of shells. The Russians face the same issue. Even with strategic resupply from North Korea, they still rely heavily on drones because of a lack of ammunition. If we had enough shells, drones wouldn't play such a crucial role. So, saying that drones are cheap and that there's no need to buy shells is counterproductive. Over 60–80% of drones at the front break down during missions. What can be done in minutes with a few shells can take drones half a day,” Kyrychevskyi explained.

He emphasized that despite their high cost, shells remain the most effective option.

“So the question is what's more cost-effective: one shell for $3,000—though now the price is closer to $8,000—or spending on drones that constantly fail in operation? Also, Europeans produce shells themselves, but when it comes to drones, we’re dependent on China,” he concluded.

• On the night of Wednesday, April 16, Russia reported a drone attack on several regions. Restrictions on takeoffs and landings were introduced at the airports of Nizhny Novgorod and Yaroslavl.