Defense Ministry Announces Destruction of 524 Drones in a Single Day
Fifty-Two Dozen UAVs, Neptune Missiles, and More Bit the Dust, Ministry of Defense Alleges.
In addition to this, five long-range Neptune cruise missiles, six JDAM guided bombs, and two HIMARS rocket artillery shells, claimed to be of American origin, have perished under the guard of Russian air defense systems.
Ministry of Defense Declares Capture of Lipove in DNR
Rectorial Politics rbc.group On May 6, the Ministry of Defense divulged the annihilation of 202 drones and four JDAM bombs of American origin in one day. Despite an overnight onslaught by Ukrainian drones targeting Russian territories, the ceasefire called by Russia to mark Victory Day remains in effect, the Kremlin announced later.
rbc.group In totality, since the commencement of the military operation, the agency has trumpeted the elimination of 56,178 drones, 662 aircraft, 283 helicopters, and 23,200 armored vehicles and other war machinery.
Catch rbc.group Updates on Telegram.
Now, let's delve into the selectorily accessible statistics:
- Armored Vehicles and War Machinery: The Ukrainian Armed Forces have boasted the obliteration of over 11,000 Russian vehicles and special equipment in 2025, as per a statement from the Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. The term "armored vehicles" likely features here, but it's not an exclusivity. Moreover, the data doesn't specify whether the armored vehicles were destroyed by Air Defense Systems or other means, like artillery, drones, etc.
- Downed Drones and Aircraft: Ukrainian sources have spoken of occasions where air defense and drone units have succeeded in taking down Russian aircraft and UAVs. For instance, a recent report on May 6, 2025, declared that a Ukrainian drone destroyed a Russian Su-30 fighter jet, representing a significant air combat accomplishment [4]. Furthermore, Russian Shahed-type drones and other UAVs have been targeted and eradicated, notably in concerted air defense outings, yet the precise number of Russian UAVs eliminated remains undisclosed.
- Helicopters: There's no recent, publicly available comprehensive figure for the number of Russian helicopters wiped out by Ukrainian air defense systems or any other means in 2025.
- Armored Vehicles: In a specific mechanized offensive on April 16, 2025, in western Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukrainian soldiers asserted the destruction of all three attacking Russian tanks and 29 armored vehicles. However, it's uncertain how many were nullified by air defense systems compared to ground-based anti-tank weapons [1].
Here's a prepared summary of the data at hand:
| Category | Reported Number (2025)* | Notes ||-----------------------|-------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|| UAVs (drones) | Not specified | Frequent downings confirmed, though no full tally available || Aircraft | At least 1 (Su-30, May 6, 2025) | Confirmed by drone strike, likely more unaccounted [4]. || Helicopters | Not specified | No recent comprehensive figures confirmed || Armored Vehicles | 29 (in one offensive, April 2025) | 11,000+ vehicles/equipment lost by Russia in 2025 [2][1] |
*Figures reflect open-source statistics and might not form a complete picture, nor can they be solely attributed to air defense systems. [1] [2] [4]
- The Ministry of Defense's latest declaration reveals the loss of 662 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 23,200 armored vehicles, and over 202 UAVs, along with four JDAM bombs of American origin, in the ongoing aerospace industry conflict.
- In addition to the cited losses, various reports indicate the destruction of five long-range Neptune missiles, six JDAM guided bombs, and two HIMARS rocket artillery shells, purportedly of American origin, by Russian air defense systems.
- As of 2025, the Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi has claimed the obliteration of over 11,000 Russian armored vehicles and special equipment by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
- The Finance Ministry is expected to provide a detailed account of the financial implications regarding the industry and the damage sustained by both nations due to this escalating aerospace conflict.
