In September, Russia escalated its long-range missile and drone assaults on Ukraine, according to an analysis by AFP based on data from Kyiv’s Air Force. These attacks coincided with a series of reported Russian violations of European airspace and a standstill in peace negotiations.
Throughout the month, NATO enhanced its defenses along its eastern frontiers, accusing Moscow of probing the alliance’s air defenses through drone incursions into various member countries and military jet flights within Estonian airspace.
During September, Russia launched approximately 5,638 long-range drones and 185 missiles in overnight assaults, representing a 36% increase compared to August.
Moscow had briefly reduced its strikes in the lead-up to the August 15 summit between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. However, the meeting did not yield any advancements. In September, Russia announced that negotiations with Ukraine were “on hold” and committed to continuing its military offensive.
Notably, September witnessed Russia’s largest aerial bombardment of the conflict, with 810 drones being launched at Ukraine during the night of September 6-7. This attack struck the Ukrainian government building in central Kyiv, marking the first time the facility had been targeted since the Russian invasion commenced in February 2022.
The data reflects initial estimates from the Air Force regarding the number of long-range drones and missiles detected during the overnight strikes. According to the Air Force, approximately 87% of the Russian drones and 68% of the missiles were successfully intercepted.
Since May 10, Russia has conducted drone strikes on Ukraine every night, following a brief three-day “truce” declared by Putin that coincided with a large military parade in Moscow.
In response to these attacks, Ukraine has been deploying a combination of mobile air defense systems, electronic jamming devices, and new interceptor drones.
Kyiv is also engaging with NATO members to exchange expertise on downing Russian drones, amid a series of reported airspace incursions by Russia into NATO countries.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday that an anti-drone military unit was being sent to Denmark for “exercises.”
In addition, several NATO nations, including the United States, Germany, and France, have dispatched military resources to Copenhagen in preparation for a summit of EU leaders on Wednesday.
In recent weeks, Denmark has experienced multiple airport shutdowns due to drone sightings, raising concerns regarding an increased threat from Russia.
