---
title: "Ukrainian Ministry of Defense: UAVs destroyed or wounded 302,000 Russian military personnel since early 2026"
description: "The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense reported that UAVs have destroyed or wounded 302,000 Russian soldiers since the beginning of 2026. Each casualty is verified in the DELTA system, with the peak of losses occurring in March at nearly 34,000."
date: 2026-10-27T09:24:48.614Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-302-thousand-russian-military-uav-strikes-2026
tags: [ukraine-war, drones, russian-army, military, uav]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Ukrainian Ministry of Defense: UAVs destroyed or wounded 302,000 Russian military personnel since early 2026

![A formation of military drones flying together in the cloudy evening sky](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/27/ukraina-302-tysyachi-rf-voennykh-udary-bpla-2026/ukraina-302-tysyachi-rf-voennykh-udary-bpla-2026-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Since the beginning of 2026, units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces have destroyed or wounded 302,000 Russian military personnel using UAVs, according to the Ministry of Defense.
- Each casualty is video-recorded in the DELTA combat system and verified by the Brave1 defense innovation cluster.
- The largest personnel losses of the Russian army were recorded in March 2026 at nearly 34,000 military personnel.
- In 2026, the Defense Procurement Agency contracted 300% more UAVs than the previous year, while some engines are purchased abroad.

Units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces have destroyed or wounded 302,000 Russian military personnel using unmanned aerial vehicles since the beginning of 2026. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the press service of the Ministry of Defense. The data describes the cumulative result of actions against the manpower of the Russian army over the incomplete ten months of the current year and, according to the agency, are reflected in official casualty statistics entered into combat accounting systems.

### How casualties are recorded and verified

According to the Ministry of Defense, each enemy casualty is video-recorded in the DELTA combat system and additionally verified by the Brave1 defense innovation cluster. Thus, the agency emphasizes that the figures in the statistics are based on documented video materials rather than rough estimates. This procedure is intended to ensure the traceability of each recorded casualty and reduce the risk of double or erroneous counting during combat operations.

### Dynamics of losses over ten months

Broken down by month for the incomplete ten months of 2026, the largest personnel losses of the Russian army, according to the Ministry of Defense, were recorded in March — nearly 34,000 military personnel. The agency presents the casualty dynamics as a sequential monthly series, with March acting as the peak point. Specific values for the remaining months are not disclosed in the provided materials, so the article cites only the confirmed peak indicator.

### Tactical significance of UAV strikes

The Ministry of Defense explains that hitting enemy personnel with drones makes it possible to exhaust their human resources, reduce the combat capability of units, and restrain the pace of the offensive. In addition, the agency points out that destroying manpower with the help of UAVs helps save the lives of Ukrainian military personnel by making it harder for the enemy to approach Ukrainian positions. Thus, UAV strikes are viewed simultaneously as an instrument of offensive pressure and as an element of defense.

### Production and procurement of drones

It was previously reported that in 2026, the Defense Procurement Agency within the system of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense contracted 300% more UAVs than in the previous year. At the same time, it was noted that scaling up jet interceptors complicates the technological solution and increases the cost of components, particularly engines, which Ukraine largely purchases abroad. This indicates that the growth in the number of hits is supported both by an increase in contract volumes and by the dependence of some high-tech components on external supplies.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Сколько военных РФ ликвидировано дронами с начала года: статистика Минобороны](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/skilki-viyskovih-rf-zneshkodzheno-dronami-1793092539.html) - Primary source: Press service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense via RBC-Ukraine. Confirmed: 302k casualties since early 2026, verification via DELTA and Brave1, peak in March (~34k), 300% growth in UAV contracts. Caveat: One-sided agency data without independent confirmation in the provided sources.

## FAQ

### How many Russian military personnel have been hit by UAVs since early 2026, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense?

According to the Ministry of Defense press service, units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces have destroyed or wounded 302,000 Russian military personnel using unmanned aerial vehicles since the beginning of 2026.

### How are these data verified?

According to the agency, each casualty is video-recorded in the DELTA combat system and verified by the Brave1 defense innovation cluster.

### In which month were the highest losses recorded?

The largest personnel losses of the Russian army, according to the Ministry of Defense, were recorded in March 2026 at nearly 34,000 military personnel.

### How have UAV procurements changed in 2026?

The Defense Procurement Agency within the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense contracted 300% more UAVs than the previous year, while some engines for jet interceptors are purchased abroad.