Ukraine says it shot down a record 33,000 Russian drones in March

Key Points:

• Ukraine shot down over 33,000 Russian drones in March, marking a record monthly figure since the invasion began, according to Ukraine’s defense minister.
• Ukrainian long-range attack drones struck a Russian oil refinery and terminal on the Black Sea for the third time in less than two weeks, prompting local evacuations as a precaution.
• Ukraine has significantly enhanced its drone technology and deep-strike capabilities, now able to hit targets up to 1,750 kilometers behind enemy lines, more than doubling its range since February 2022.
• Russian air defenses claimed to have intercepted 186 Ukrainian drones overnight, while drone attacks on both sides resulted in civilian casualties and infrastructure damage in border regions.
• Ukraine’s interceptor drone technology is gaining international interest, particularly from Middle East and Gulf countries amid regional conflicts, as Kyiv scales up its air defense systems.