August M
Air raid sirens sounded across Ukraine at least 19,000 times in 2025, according to figures cited by The Sun — a stark indicator of how frequently civilians are forced into shelters.
The British tabloid reports that the scale of Russia’s aerial campaign has intensified sharply over the past two years, with tens of thousands of drones, missiles and glide bombs launched at Ukrainian targets.
Drawing on daily briefings published by Ukraine’s air force since January 2024, The Sun conducted its own analysis of the number and type of weapons used. It estimates that nearly 80,000 tons of munitions have been dropped or fired at Ukraine since the start of last year.
Tracking The Barrage
According to the newspaper’s calculations, Russia launched around 90,000 missiles, bombs and drones in 2025 alone, with a combined weight exceeding 40,000 tons. The figures are not official totals but are based on open-source data compiled by the outlet.
The methodology relies on Ukrainian military updates and publicly available estimates of weapon payloads. As The Sun notes, the real figure could be higher, particularly given assessments from Britain’s Defence Intelligence agency suggesting greater drone usage than some counts reflect.
In one recent wave of attacks, 50 missiles and 300 drones were reportedly fired in a single day, targeting energy infrastructure and other sites. Authorities said parts of eastern and southeastern Ukraine were left without electricity amid freezing temperatures.
Scale And Comparison
The newspaper’s review includes Shahed-type drones, ballistic missiles such as Iskander systems, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and Kalibr cruise missiles, as well as glide bombs known as FABs. Ukrainian officials have previously said tens of thousands of such bombs were deployed over the past two years.
Based on its aggregated estimates, The Sun concludes that the overall tonnage used by Russia since January 2024 exceeds the 75,000 tons historians say were dropped on the United Kingdom during World War II. Around 24,000 tons fell on London during the Blitz alone.
The comparison is drawn by the publication and is not part of an official government assessment. It is intended to illustrate scale rather than provide a precise historical equivalence.
Political Reaction
UK Defence Secretary John Healey referenced the findings, describing Ukrainians as enduring “Blitz-like conditions” and praising their “defiance and courage”.
He said: “The Sun’s research exposes the brutal scale of Putin’s relentless assault on Ukrainian civilians, which shows no sign of slowing.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, commenting on recent strikes, said: “Moscow continues to invest in strikes more than in diplomacy.”
The UK Ministry of Defence said Britain is providing record levels of military assistance and working with allies on future security arrangements, including potential peacekeeping efforts if hostilities end.
Sources: The Sun, UK Ministry of Defence, Ukrainian Air Force
