Russia plans to significantly increase the share of jet-powered strike drones in its attacks to up to 50%, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (AFU) Oleksandr Syrsky has said. In a Facebook post, Syrsky said the shift would create “new challenges” for Ukraine that require a timely response.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “The aggressor plans to increase the share of jet strike drones to 50%. This poses new challenges for us that require a timely response,” he wrote. Syrsky stressed that the impact of Russia’s daily air attacks would be far worse if not for Ukraine’s ongoing development of what he called “small air defense” systems and expanded interception capabilities. He said most downed Shahed and Geran drones are now being destroyed by Ukrainian interceptor drones. In May alone, Ukrainian forces shot down more than 3,500 Russian drones across a layered air defense system. According to Syrsky, the second echelon of Ukraine’s air defense is the most effective, with the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) responsible for intercepting more than 1,200 drones during the month. Army aviation also destroyed more than 440 drones in May, using upgraded helicopters now equipped with improved detection systems, targeting tools, and missile weaponry. At the same time, Syrsky revealed that Russia continues to adapt its drone warfare tactics, increasing both the number and sophistication of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) deployed against Ukraine.