Syrsky: Russia is preparing to deploy up to a thousand drones every day
Russia plans to sharply increase the production of strike drones in order to deploy up to 1,000 drones per day in 2026. This was stated on 18 January by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, in an interview with the publication Livy Bereg.
According to the commander-in-chief, Russia currently produces an average of 404 attack drones of various types every day and intends to continue increasing these volumes. At the same time, Moscow is receiving missiles from Iran, ammunition from North Korea, and electronics and technology from China. This allows the Russian economy to maintain high rates of military production, which are not only not declining but are actually growing.
Syrsky emphasised that Russia's strategic goal remains unchanged and is to capture the whole of Ukraine. According to his estimates, there are no signs that the Kremlin is preparing for peace initiatives. Instead, there is an increase in the intensity of hostilities, the number of offensive groups and the volume of missile and drone production.
Speaking about the tasks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for 2026, the commander-in-chief noted that the Ukrainian army must continue its strategic defence, combining it with offensive actions to maintain operational initiative. He stressed the importance of developing asymmetric actions, special operations forces, and technological superiority, particularly in the field of missile and unmanned weapons.
Syrsky also stressed that the further development of drone systems, artificial intelligence, and high-tech weapons will reduce the direct involvement of people in combat operations and increase the effectiveness of the Ukrainian Defence Forces.
Armed Forces of Ukraine, Syrskyi
