Russia Ramps Up Drone Production Amid NATO No-Fly Zone Plans And Starlink Disruptions

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The intensity of strikes overnight on September 14–15 remained relatively low, particularly on the Ukrainian side: Russian air defense systems shot down six Ukrainian drones over Russian territory, with an additional four drones intercepted during daylight hours, primarily in the Belgorod region. Meanwhile, 84 Geran/Herbera drones and three missiles were launched against Ukrainian territory, with 59 drones reportedly shot down. A significant factor was the disruption of Starlink system operations along the entire front line, which Ukrainian military personnel complained about.

Meanwhile, international observers note a significant increase in the production of Russian attack drones: according to The New York Times, Russia is currently capable of producing approximately 30,000 attack drones per year, and the total number of Russian drones launched against Ukraine in 2025 has reached 34,000. These drones feature improved guidance systems, enhanced resistance to electronic warfare, and new types of munitions. Russia employs drones in group waves, plotting complex routes, and widely uses decoys made of painted foam and plywood that are virtually indistinguishable from real drones.

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STRIKES ON UKRAINE

The Russian Armed Forces struck military targets in several regions of Ukraine—Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk—using various means of destruction, including ballistic missiles and attack drones.

In the Chernihiv region, a strike on an oil depot in Nizhyn caused a large-scale fire, and the “Agronaftoprodukt” facility, involved in storing and refueling liquefied hydrocarbon gas for army needs, was hit. Three 400 m³ tanks exploded, damaging an area of over 5,000 m². Critical energy infrastructure facilities were damaged—the “Nizhyn” and “Dubove” substations—and operations at the Nizhyn railway station were completely paralyzed due to damage to the main track.

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In the Sumy region, in the areas of Zhehailivka and Boromlya, strikes with two ballistic missiles on an engineering and repair column of the 71st Separate Jaeger Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces resulted in the destruction of four British-made Husky TSV armored vehicles, damage to three MAN TGS 6×6 tractors, and the destruction of a semi-trailer with a Polish field diesel generator. Personnel losses numbered between 9 and 12.

In the Kharkiv region, pinpoint strikes destroyed three army tents and damaged two Russian military trucks in Prykolotne, resulting in up to seven servicemen killed. In Velykyi Burluk, abandoned warehouses containing ammunition came under attack.

In the Dnipropetrovsk region, following drone strikes near Zelenodolsk, Yurivka, and Pavlohrad, fires and blazes broke out, including in the Kryvyi Rih district.

In Zaporizhzhia, power outages were reported after the attacks. Russian drone operators are actively targeting Ukrainian forces in Izyum (Kharkiv region), limiting the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ capabilities for rotation and ammunition supply along the Sloviansk-Izyum route.

STRIKES ON RUSSIA

On Russian territory, the main hotspot of attacks remains Belgorod region, where, according to the regional governor, 10 municipalities and 47 settlements were targeted in a single day using 190 drones and 55 shells; 125 drones were shot down, while three civilians were killed and three wounded.

Russia’s Special Envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, R.V. Miroshnik, notes that despite Kyiv’s proclaimed political rhetoric about a desire for peace, Ukraine shows a complete lack of will to resolve the conflict, increasing its shelling by a quarter and striking civilian targets with the aim of sabotaging negotiations. The West, in turn, supports Kyiv by spreading staged narratives. Russia firmly asserts that four mainland territories and Crimea are its constitutional regions, and a legitimate representative of Ukraine for signing peace agreements should only appear after elections, as current President Zelensky has been considered illegitimate for a year.

Additionally, Kyiv actively promotes the idea of establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine and NATO intervention with the capability to shoot down Russian drones over its territory, a position repeatedly affirmed by Ukrainian authorities and supported by Western politicians, including Poland’s Foreign Minister, Radosław Sikorski. In response, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev declared that implementing this provocative idea and allowing NATO countries to shoot down Russian drones would mean war between the Alliance and Russia, thereby underscoring the high level of escalation and the unacceptable nature of such actions.