16 February 2026

Ukraine is rewriting the world’s only playbook for stopping 800 drones a night

Igor Kossov

Ukraine will be restructuring how its air defense is organized, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement on 11 February.

Russia’s ongoing air terror campaign is causing prolonged and repeated energy crises throughout the country, during one of the coldest winters in recent years. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s interception rate of Russian drones and missiles has declined throughout 2025.

No country has ever had to defend its cities against hundreds of attack drones launched night after night for years on end. Russia has already sent as many as 810 drones in a single night, and analysts say nightly barrages could soon reach 1,000.

While Ukraine's interception rate has not fallen below 80%, the drones and missiles that get through wreak havoc on civilian infrastructure. Kyiv is looking to improve and stay ahead of the growing threat.

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