In March 2025, Ukraine’s air defense forces shot down 4,043 Russian aerial targets, marking a significant increase in intercepted drones compared to previous months, according to the Air Force’s monthly report.

For comparison: in January 2,300 aerial targets were destroyed, while in February — more than 2,200

Among the intercepted threats were one Iskander-M / KN-23 ballistic missile, 25 Kh-101 / Kh-55SM cruise missiles, eight Kalibr cruise missiles, one Iskander-K cruise missile, one Kh-59/69 guided air-launched missile.

Additionally, Ukrainian air defense downed 2,328 Shahed attack drones, 805 reconnaissance UAVs, 874 other drones.

There has been a significant increase in the number of intercepted drones: in January, 1,595 Shahed attack UAVs, 388 reconnaissance drones, and 236 drones of other types were destroyed.

March saw a notable rise in intercepted Shahed and other UAVs: in January — 1,595 Shahed drones, 388 reconnaissance UAVs, 236 other drones while in February — 1,552 Shahed drones, 542 reconnaissance UAVs, 403 other drones

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that in the past week alone, the enemy has used more than 1,000 strike drones, nine missiles of various types, and 1,310 guided bombs.

“Russia is prolonging the war, and we are providing our partners with full intelligence on these attacks and Moscow’s preparations. We expect a response from America, Europe, and all our allies to this terror against our people,” Zelenskyy said.

On March 29, a Russian Shahed drone targeted a military hospital in Kharkiv, damaging both the hospital and nearby residential buildings.

“The deliberate targeting of a Ukrainian medical facility by the Russian army adds to the long list of cynical war crimes committed by the Russians since the start of the unprovoked invasion,” Ukraine’s General Staff stated.

Interception of enemy drones

One of the most effective means of countering enemy reconnaissance and strike drones is anti-aircraft drones.

On March 23, the 414th Separate Unmanned Aircraft Brigade (“Birds of the Magyar”) shot down 33 enemy reconnaissance drones in the Kursk-Belgorod direction over just four days.

Among the downed drones were 17 Zala 421, 14 Supercam S350 and one Tachyon. In addition, Ukrainian pilots destroyed a rare and expensive copy – Merlin-VR.

Among the intercepted drones were 17 Zala 421, 14 Supercam S350, one Tachyon and one Merlin-VR, a rare and expensive Russian UAV.

Recently, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces have also begun intercepting Shahed drones using undisclosed advanced technology.