Ukrainian forces have carried out a series of strikes on Russian factories and storage sites producing Shahed kamikaze drones, sharply reducing the number of drone attacks on Ukraine.

According to Ukrainian media outlet Militarnyi, between July and August, Ukraine’s military and security services hit multiple Russian facilities involved in making, storing, and transporting these drones.

As a result, the number of Shahed launches fell from 6,303 in July to 4,132 in August – about a one-third drop. Analysts say these numbers show that Ukraine’s strikes are working.

How Russia Launches Drones

Experts, cited by the outlet, say Russia tends to launch drones in waves. After big attacks, they usually wait three to four days to accumulate drones before launching another round.

In July, this buildup involved launching 80–200 drones over three days, followed by a record-breaking massive attack of 728 drones on July 9.

In August, the accumulation strategy continued but on a smaller scale, with the size of these “pools” of drones significantly reduced.

By hitting the factories and storage sites, Ukraine has forced Russia to slow down and launch fewer drones, reducing the threat to Ukrainian cities and military targets.

Major Ukrainian Strikes

Several strikes stand out for their impact:

Izhevsk, July 1, 2025 : Ukrainian forces hit the Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant “Kupol,” a factory that makes military drones and air-defense systems like the Tor and Osa. Four workshops were destroyed, the roof of one building collapsed, and the plant had to stop all production. The strikes hit the areas where metal was processed, microchips soldered, and drones assembled.

Moscow Region, July 4, 2025 : Ukrainian drones attacked a plant making warheads for Shaheds. The factory is part of Russia’s state corporation Rostec and is under international sanctions. The attack caused fire and heavy smoke.

Astrakhan Region, Aug. 15, 2025: Ukraine hit the Olya seaport, used by Russia to receive military shipments from Iran. An Iranian ship carrying drone parts and ammunition was docked there at the time. Ukrainian forces sank the ship in the Caspian Sea, destroying its cargo and showing they can hit both Russian factories and foreign supply lines.

Tatarstan, Aug. 9–12, 2025: Ukrainian forces struck a large storage hub in Kzyl-Yul, which held finished Shahed drones and foreign components. Satellite images show at least six hits. The hub supplied parts to the Alabuga special economic zone, where drones are assembled. Analysts said the attacks destroyed large reserves of ready-to-use drones.

The strikes have forced Russia to slow down its attacks. Between June and August, Russian forces launched 11,741 Shahed drones at Ukraine, but the number dropped by a third in August alone.

Analysts say hitting factories and storage sites makes it harder for Russia to stockpile drones and sustain large attacks.

Russia has tried to compensate by building two new drone launch sites – one in Navlya, Bryansk region, and another in Tsymbulovo, Oryol region. Authorities have also recruited young workers in Tatarstan to help expand drone production.