Analysts Worry for Ukraine Over New Russian Drones

Russia is dialing back daytime strikes on Ukraine now, only to hit much harder later, analysts predict. Monday's attack saw 124 drones launched over 12 hours—far fewer than earlier salvos—but more than 100 people were injured as drones slammed into civilian sites, including Kyiv's National Academy of Sciences and a nearby clinic, plus a business center in Dnipro, reports CBS News. Ukraine's air force says Russia is leaning on new jet-powered Geran-4 and Geran-5 drones that fly faster and are tougher to shoot down, cutting interception rates from above 90% to 57%.

A Newsweek analysis doubts that even Patriot missile defense systems from the US can be effective against these newer Russian drones. A Ukrainian military nonprofit estimates that Moscow produced roughly 2,000 of the drones last month alone and stockpiled both them and missiles, with analysts warning that winter raids could use 1,500 drones at a time, targeting power, heat, and industry as Ukraine struggles with scarce air defenses, per CBS. "Russia's terror against Ukraine is intensifying by the day," Andrii Sybiha wrote on X, per the Times of India. "This is Russia's deliberate escalation instead of accepting Ukraine's offers to cease fire, negotiate, and end the war."