Ukrainian forces neutralize 34 Lancet drones in one week - why it’s important

Defense Express writes about it.

From July 31 to August 6, 2023, the Ukrainian military effectively destroyed 13 subsonic cruise missiles of the Kh-101/Kh-555 type, 17 Kalibr missiles, 68 Shahed-131/Shahed-136 “kamikaze” drones, and notably, 34 Lancet “kamikaze” drones. Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar shared these statistics during a briefing, as reported by the Military Media Center.

Ukrainian defenders successfully downed a substantial number of Lancet drones within just one week, a feat not previously reported at such levels. “This accomplishment underscores the military's increasing proficiency in countering Russian ‘kamikaze’ drones, a critical challenge for the Armed Forces on the battlefield,” Defense Express highlights.

Earlier in March 2023, Defense Express disclosed that the Lancet's warhead utilizes a Soviet KZ-6 engineering cumulative charge. Furthermore, Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the Ukrainian General Staff, Oleksiy Hromov, revealed in July 2023 that Russia had produced a total of 850 Lancet-type “kamikaze” drones throughout the course of the full-scale war against Ukraine. By that time, only 50 units remained under Russian control.

In the same month, Russian propagandists released a video ostensibly showcasing Lancet drone production capacity. However, a closer examination exposed weaknesses in the Lancet's design, potentially undermining its battlefield effectiveness. Additionally, the video revealed that Russia was manufacturing Lancet drones using machinery from Japan and South Korea.

Notably, the Ukrainian Armed Forces recently shot down a Lancet drone in the Bakhmut direction. The wreckage revealed the presence of a cheap Czech 2.5 kW electric motor among other components.

Previously, Defense Express wrote that Russia manufactures Lancet-type drones on machines from Japan and South Korea.