Over 77,000 Russian targets hit, destroyed in March using drones, Ukraine's commander says

Ukrainian soldiers hit and destroyed in March more than 77,000 Russian targets using drones of various types, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 7.

The number of targets hit is 10% higher than in February, according to Syrskyi. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.

Ukraine has pioneered drone technology during Russia's full-scale war, introducing various ground-, air-, and sea-based models for combat and reconnaissance missions.

Syrskyi called boosting the combat capabilities of unmanned systems on the battlefield one of Ukraine's key priorities.

"By increasing the role of drones, we are saving the lives of our defenders," Syrskyi added.

Ukraine is working to scale up domestic production, having the capacity to produce over 5 million first-person-view (FPV) drones per year, Presidential Advisor Oleksandr Kamyshin said.

Kyiv has also developed long-range missile-drone hybrids, including the Palianytsia and Peklo models, which use turbojet engines as cruise missile alternatives. President Volodymyr Zelensky has set a target of producing at least 30,000 long-range drones in 2025.