May 2024 entered the history of the full-scale war as a month of unprecedented activity in Ukraine's airspace. According to combat monitoring data, it was in this month that Russia set an absolute record for the number of drones launched, exceeding the previous April figures by 24%.
Statistics of Air Terror
The total number of attacking drones in May amounted to 8,150 units. This colossal increase in pressure confirms the trend of growing intensity of hostilities. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense recorded more than 7,000 clashes on the front in May, which significantly exceeds the April figure of 5,085 incidents.
In addition to drones, the aggressor's arsenal included missile strikes. During the month, 211 missiles of various types were launched. Among them, specialists identified the "Oreshnik" medium-range ballistic missile, indicating an expansion of the spectrum of weapons used.
Massive Attacks: May Scenarios
Particular attention is drawn to the details of the two largest attacks that took place at night. On the night of May 31, the enemy carried out a large-scale air assault, deploying 229 strike drones. The attack was launched simultaneously from seven different directions, creating a complex task for air defense systems.
The enemy's arsenal included drones of various types: Iranian Shaheds, Russian "Gerbera" and "Italmas," as well as "Parodia" mimic drones designed to distract defense assets. Despite the complexity of the situation, Ukrainian air defense forces managed to shoot down and suppress 212 out of 229 enemy targets.
An even larger-scale combined attack occurred on the night of May 24. This time, the strike was launched across the entire territory of the country, using kamikaze drones, as well as air, sea, and land-based missiles. Kyiv was the main target of the attack.
Air Defense System Effectiveness
Despite the unprecedented volume of attacks, the Ukrainian air defense system demonstrated high effectiveness. In May, 91% of all Russian drones and missiles were intercepted.
During the attack on May 24, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine recorded the launch of 690 air attack assets. This figure included 90 missiles and 600 drones. As a result of the air defense work, 604 air targets were destroyed or suppressed, including 55 missiles and 549 drones. These data confirm that, despite the increase in the intensity of attacks, protective mechanisms continue to perform their task, preventing critical losses.