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At the same time, interceptor drones managed to take down a record number of Russian Shahed drones.
Ukraine’s military says unmanned systems played a central role on the battlefield at the start of the year.
In fact, units from Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces eliminated more than 30,000 Russian troops in January, according to Ukraine’s Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Writing on Telegram,
“In January, drone units wiped out over 30,000 Russians. All losses are verified – every strike has video confirmation in the Delta system. The leader in this direction for the month was the Special Group Alpha of the Security Service of Ukraine,” he said according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Fedorov noted that Russia’s offensive potential declined after heavy losses in December, but said Ukrainian drone units maintained high effectiveness into the new year.
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Strategic targets
The defence minister described a longer-term objective aimed at further reducing Russian combat strength.
“Our strategic goal is 50,000 Russian troops wiped out per month. The fewer offensive forces the enemy has, the safer our infantry will be,” Fedorov said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously said on 16 January that Russia is losing about 30,000 troops killed each month in the war.
Air defence focus
Fedorov also reported a record number of Russian Shahed loitering munitions being intercepted by Ukrainian drones in January. He said the 412th Nemesis Separate Brigade led these efforts.
“We are actively improving the efficiency of small air-defence systems to protect the sky. In parallel with our partners, we are denying the enemy the ability to use Western technologies to attack Ukrainians,” he said.
Robots on a mission
Automation was another priority highlighted by the minister. More than 100 units used ground robotic systems to carry out 7,495 missions in January, averaging 242 missions per day.
The most effective operations were conducted by the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade. “Our goal is for robots to perform as much dangerous work on the battlefield as possible, reducing risks for our soldiers,” Fedorov said.
Ukraine’s General Staff publishes daily estimates of Russian losses, which it says include both killed and wounded personnel.
Sources: Ukraine’s Defence Ministry, Telegram statements, Office of the President of Ukraine, Ukrainska Pravda
