Putin states more than 80k aerial targets destroyed throughout war with Ukraine

(MENAFN) President Vladimir Putin has stated that Russian forces have intercepted over 80,000 aerial threats amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Speaking on Thursday during a meeting on Russia’s long-term defense planning for 2027–2036, Putin emphasized the need to develop a comprehensive air defense system capable of neutralizing all types of aerial weapons.

He highlighted that the conflict has driven rapid advancements in air warfare and shifted both its significance and strategies. The new state armament program, Putin said, must focus on building an air defense network that can effectively operate in any environment and counter a wide range of airborne threats.

Putin specified that among the intercepted targets, about 7,500 were advanced weapons such as cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, and projectiles from multiple launch rocket systems. Most of these, he noted, had been supplied to Ukraine by Western countries.

The majority of the intercepted aerial threats were drones. The Russian Defense Ministry reports that over 63,000 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been destroyed. Putin underlined that combating drones has demanded innovative tactics and remains a critical area of focus.

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