Ukraine is preparing to dramatically expand its long-range drone capabilities as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has set a target of enabling Ukrainian forces to carry out operations involving up to 1,000 long-range drones per day against targets in Russia.

The announcement represents a major increase from Ukraine’s current average of more than 300 long-range drones used each day. Zelenskyy said the country’s defence industry has been instructed to accelerate production so the target can be achieved.

The move comes as Russia continues intensive aerial attacks against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, adding another dimension to the increasingly drone-driven war.

A Major Expansion of Ukraine’s Drone Strategy

Zelenskyy’s announcement came after a meeting of Ukraine’s Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff.

According to the Ukrainian president, the immediate priority is strengthening the country’s ability to defend itself against newer Russian attack drones while simultaneously increasing the frequency of Ukrainian long-range strikes.

The proposed expansion would require a substantial increase in manufacturing capacity, logistics and operational planning.

Ukraine currently produces and deploys more than 300 long-range drones per day on average, according to Zelenskyy’s statement. The new target would therefore represent more than a threefold increase.

Russia’s Air Campaign Is Driving the Push

Ukraine’s decision comes amid a sustained Russian aerial campaign.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 267 drones along with an Oniks anti-ship missile and an Iskander-M ballistic missile during the overnight attack on August 28–29. Ukrainian authorities said air defences shot down or electronically disrupted 233 of the drones, although impacts were recorded at multiple locations.

Later on August 29, Ukrainian authorities reported another large drone attack, with 224 attack UAVs directed at the country between the morning and early evening. Most were reportedly aimed toward Kyiv, and Ukrainian air defences had intercepted or jammed 199 by the time of the initial assessment.

The repeated attacks have increased pressure on Ukraine’s air-defence network.

Jet-Powered Shaheds Create a New Challenge

Ukraine is also attempting to adapt to an evolving Russian drone threat.

Zelenskyy has specifically highlighted the need to strengthen defence against jet-powered Shahed-type attack drones.

These systems are different from slower, conventional one-way attack drones and can present additional difficulties for air-defence operators because of their higher speed.

Ukraine therefore wants to increase both offensive drone production and the manufacture of interceptor drones designed to destroy incoming aerial threats.

Long-Range Strikes Target Russia’s Strategic Infrastructure

Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign has increasingly focused on targets far beyond the immediate battlefield.

Ukrainian officials say strikes against Russian oil infrastructure and military-industrial facilities are intended to create economic and logistical pressure.

Zelenskyy has pointed to attacks on Russian energy facilities as part of an effort to reduce Moscow’s ability to maintain military operations and generate export revenue.

A recent Ukrainian strike was reported at an oil refinery in Russia’s Yaroslavl region, roughly 1,000 kilometres from the front line.

Fuel Supplies Have Become a Key Target

The Ukrainian campaign against Russian energy infrastructure has coincided with reports of pressure on Russia’s domestic fuel market.

Recent reporting said Russian gasoline production had fallen significantly below domestic consumption requirements following attacks and refinery disruptions. Some Russian regions have reportedly reintroduced restrictions on fuel sales.

For Ukraine, disrupting fuel production has strategic importance because petroleum products support transportation, industry and military logistics.

However, the long-term impact of these strikes on Russia’s overall energy sector remains uncertain.

Drone Warfare Is Changing the Conflict

The latest announcement reflects how rapidly drones have transformed the Russia-Ukraine war.

Uncrewed aircraft are now being used for reconnaissance, battlefield attacks, deep strikes against infrastructure and air-defence operations.

Their relatively low cost compared with many conventional missiles allows both sides to conduct attacks on a much larger scale.

Ukraine’s proposed expansion to 1,000 long-range drones per day would represent another major step toward making mass drone operations a central component of its military strategy.

Production Will Be the Biggest Challenge

Turning the target into reality will require more than simply assembling additional drones.

Ukraine would need reliable supplies of components, engines, electronics, navigation equipment, communications systems and explosives.

It would also need expanded testing facilities, production lines and trained personnel.

The government is therefore placing considerable emphasis on the domestic defence industry and technological development.

The ability to manufacture large numbers of relatively inexpensive systems could allow Ukraine to sustain long-range operations without relying exclusively on imported weapons.

Russia Is Also Adapting

Moscow is unlikely to remain passive as Ukraine expands its long-range capabilities.

Russia has invested heavily in air-defence systems and electronic warfare, while also increasing its own drone production.

The Ukrainian Air Force’s reports of hundreds of Russian UAVs being launched in single periods demonstrate the scale of the aerial contest.

This creates a rapidly evolving technological competition in which both countries are attempting to produce more drones while simultaneously developing better ways to intercept them.

Civilian Risks Remain High

The expansion of long-range drone warfare also carries significant risks for civilians.

Russian strikes have repeatedly hit Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, while Ukrainian attacks have reached targets deep inside Russian territory.

Both sides say they target military or strategic facilities, but drones can cause damage beyond intended targets, particularly when they are intercepted and debris falls over populated areas.

The latest attacks around Kyiv demonstrate the continuing danger to civilians.

Ukraine Wants to Increase Pressure on Moscow

Ukrainian officials view long-range strikes as a way to impose costs beyond the battlefield.

By attacking energy infrastructure, military production facilities and logistics networks, Kyiv hopes to make Russia’s war effort more expensive and difficult to sustain.

The strategy is also intended to demonstrate that Russia’s geographical depth cannot completely shield its critical infrastructure from Ukrainian attacks.

A New Phase of Aerial Warfare

The 1,000-drone objective suggests that Ukraine sees mass unmanned operations as a major part of the next phase of the conflict.

The country’s defence industry is being asked to increase output rapidly, while military planners are seeking ways to combine long-range strike drones with interceptor systems and other technologies.

Whether the ambitious target can be reached will depend on manufacturing capacity, access to components and Ukraine’s ability to maintain operations under continuing Russian attacks.

What Comes Next?

Ukraine’s announcement does not mean that 1,000 long-range drones are currently being launched against Russia every day.

Instead, it establishes a strategic target for increasing production and operational capacity from the present average of more than 300 daily long-range drones.

If Ukraine succeeds in reaching that level, the scale of its deep-strike campaign could change significantly.

For Russia, the development could mean greater pressure on energy facilities, military-industrial sites and logistics networks.

For Ukraine, however, expanding offensive drone operations will have to be balanced against the equally urgent need to protect its own population from Russia’s increasingly intensive aerial attacks.

The battle over the skies is therefore becoming one of the defining elements of the wider Russia-Ukraine conflict—and the race to produce, deploy and intercept drones is likely to remain central to the war’s future.