Ukrainian air defense destroys over 11,000 drones and 1,300 missiles launched by Russia in 2024

In 2024, the Air Force of Ukraine's armed forces shot down over 1,300 missiles of various types, 11,200 strike drones, and 40 Russian aircraft over Ukraine.

The Air Force reported this.

According to the Air Force, in 2024, the enemy significantly increased their usage of missiles and strike drones on key infrastructure sites in Ukraine compared to the previous year. In addition, a large number of drones imitating real Shahed UAVs appeared.

"In this way, the enemy is trying to complicate the air situation as much as possible, overload our air defense, and exhaust our sky defenders. In addition, enemy aircraft launched tens of thousands of guided bombs over front-line territories, wiping out Ukrainian front-line cities and villages," the military noted.

In addition, during this year, the enemy has increased both the production and use of ballistic missiles in Ukraine, including the North Korean KN-23.

"Despite the enemy's daily attacks, the Air Force, together with all the Defense Forces, continue to hold the sky over Ukraine. In 2024, air defense destroyed more than 1,300 missiles of various types, 11,200 strike drones, and 3,200 reconnaissance UAVs of the operational-tactical level," the Air Force said.

Also, this year, Ukraine's air defense shot down 40 enemy aircraft and six helicopters.

During the year, the Air Force aviation performed more than 20,000 sorties, almost 9,000 for the combat use of Western weapons.

"For almost three years of the full-scale war, our soldiers have been holding back the Russian invasion, fighting for the future of the state, for the Ukrainian people. Ukraine still needs maximum support from the West, the supply of weapons, air defense systems, and modern multi-purpose aircraft to defeat the enemy and reliably close the sky over Ukraine!" the military emphasized.