197 Mutual Threats: Drone Swarms over Russia and Ukraine

1st April 2025

2 minutes read

197 Mutual Threats: Drone Swarms over Russia and Ukraine

The drone war has become an integral part of the conflict in Ukraine, with various types of drones deployed almost daily using different technologies.

On Monday, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its air defense units had intercepted and destroyed 66 Ukrainian drones overnight.

According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), 41 drones were shot down over the border region of Bryansk, 24 over Kaluga, and one over Kursk.

The governors of Bryansk and Kaluga reported on social media that the Ukrainian drone attacks caused no damage.

131 Drones Launched

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force announced on Monday that Russia had launched 131 drones, along with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles, during the previous night’s attacks.

According to the military, Ukrainian forces managed to shoot down 57 drones, while 45 others failed to reach their targets, likely due to electronic countermeasures.

The fate of the remaining 29 drones was not specified by the Ukrainian military.

Trump’s Attacks

Against this backdrop, former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized both sides of the conflict on Sunday, expressing frustration over the repeated failures to restart ceasefire negotiations.

Trump initially stated that he was “very angry” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, threatening to impose new tariffs on Russian oil.

According to NBC journalist Kristen Welker, Trump contacted her to express his outrage at Putin’s remarks questioning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s future as a leader.

She quoted Trump as saying: “If Russia and I cannot reach an agreement to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I determine that Russia is at fault, then I will impose secondary tariffs on oil coming out of Russia.”

Welker added that Trump told her he was “very angry and upset” when Putin began making statements about Zelensky’s credibility, hinting at a new leadership in Ukraine.

Later, Trump softened his tone toward Putin and redirected his frustration toward Zelensky, warning that he could face problems if he failed to strike a deal granting the U.S. mining rights in Ukraine.

Since taking office, Trump has sought to bring a swift end to the ongoing war in Ukraine, but his administration has failed to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough.

Last Friday, Putin rejected a U.S.-Ukrainian ceasefire plan for 30 days and instead suggested that Zelensky step down as part of a peace process—a sign that Moscow is taking a harder stance in negotiations.