Ukraine turns to FPV drones due to surface-to-air missile shortage

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi noted in a social media post that he is currently in the hottest spots of the Eastern Front and that the Russian occupation forces, despite high losses, are continuing to try to capture certain Ukrainian settlements. Syrsky emphasized that the Ukrainian Defense Forces are currently experiencing a total shortage of short-range anti-aircraft missiles.

That is why EW devices and FPV drones are becoming increasingly important in combating Russian drones, as reported by Defense Express.

Recently, several videos have appeared online showing Ukrainian operators shooting down Russian reconnaissance drones, such as Orlan or Zala, using FPV drones. This demonstrates the proven effectiveness of this method in combating Russian surveillance.

As volunteer Serhiy Sternenko noted, "quite a few Russian wings" have been shot down using drones purchased with donations from Ukrainians as well as those supplied to the military by the state.

Regarding anti-aircraft missiles, Ukraine currently relies on supplies from allies. However, a critical issue is that Western manufacturers often struggle to keep up with demand, despite efforts to increase production.

As reported by Defense Express, the rising cost of anti-aircraft missiles and weapons cannot be ignored. For instance, with the cost of a single Stinger missile nearing 800,000 euros, using it to shoot down anything other than airplanes and helicopters becomes a real luxury.

• Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Commander-in-Chief of Ukrainian Armed Forces, stated that in the modern warfare realities, the number of drone strikes is on par with artillery, making drones a priority for the army.