Ukraine faced a sharp 38 percent increase in Russian drone and missile strikes in September compared to August, according to air force data. According to media reports, Moscow launched 5,636 drones and 187 missiles, averaging nearly 188 drones and over six missiles per day. Ukrainian defenses intercepted or neutralized around 87 percent of drones and 68 percent of missiles, maintaining interception rates similar to previous months. August had seen a relative slowdown, marking the first monthly drop in attacks since April. July 2025 remains the heaviest month for Ukraine’s defenders, with 6,443 combined aerial threats.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it downed 2,788 Ukrainian drones in September, just two more than in August. May 2025 was reportedly the peak for Ukrainian drone activity, with Moscow claiming 3,611 drones destroyed. Tensions escalated further last month as Russian drones twice entered NATO airspace, prompting allied aircraft to intercept several over Poland.