Russia is losing more than 1,000 troops a day as Ukrainian fighters armed with AI drones launch a defiant fightback, battle analysis has confirmed.
Ukraine has expanded its mid- and long-range strike capabilities, deploying drone and missile technology that it has developed domestically to battle Russia’s 4-year-old invasion. Attacks on Russian oil assets that play a key part in funding the invasion have become almost daily occurrences.
Ukraine is increasingly relying on artificial intelligence-powered drones to strike Russian military targets far behind the front lines. Recent attacks have targeted supply vehicles and logistics routes linking Russia with southern Ukraine, experts told the BBC. According to them, Ukraine’s AI-enabled Hornet drones can identify and track targets autonomously after being launched toward a designated area.
View 2 ImagesA Russian serviceman guards an area of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station (Image: AP)
Ukrainian General Staff report Russian battlefield casualties – killed and wounded – totalled 32,980 in April – an average of 1,099 per day. As of Friday, Russia has sustained a total of 28,200 losses, with an average daily loss rate of 1,044, through May 2026.
Britain’s Defence Secretary John Healey told The Sun on Sunday : “Ukrainians continue to fight with huge courage and defiance – civilians and military alike. Ukrainian forces are not just holding the line – they are pushing it back, making gains across the front.
“Month after month, in this brutal war of attrition, Russia is losing tens of thousands of troops with little gain for such a great loss. Putin has none of the momentum he claims. Our commitment is clear – we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
“We are backing Ukraine in the fight today – with drones, training, and cutting-edge kit – and we are leading the coalition of allies to secure the peace tomorrow.”
Article continues below
It comes after Russia has blamed Ukraine after a drone struck the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Ukraine said the claim was an attempt to ‘conceal Russia’s own criminal actions’