Russian jet-powered Shaheds hitting electrical substations because of Starshield speed limits, Zelenskyy says

In a single week, Russia deployed over 2,300 strike drones, 1,590 guided aerial bombs, and 15 missiles of various types against Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on November 15. Russian forces targeted energy facilities in Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Odesa, Zhytomyr, and Kirovohrad regions, as well as railway infrastructure in Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia. Strikes were also reported in Donetsk and Kyiv regions. Sixteen Ukrainians sustained injuries during these attacks.

The primary targets of Russian strikes were substations equipped with Shaheds. However, the effectiveness of Ukrainian interceptor drones in countering these high-speed jet-powered drones is hindered due to speed restrictions on Starshield terminals along the frontline and in temporarily occupied territories, Zelenskyy pointed out. These restrictions make it physically impossible for Ukrainian drones to catch up with the rapid Russian jet-powered Shaheds.

Ukrainian authorities anticipate that these limitations will be lifted. Protecting the Ukrainian population and the country's energy sector ahead of winter is directly dependent on this. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, and Presidential Office have been directed to collaborate closely with American and SpaceX teams to address the issue.

On October 31, Russian forces launched 132 strike UAVs, a significant majority of which were jet-powered. Ukrainian air defense forces successfully intercepted and neutralized 106 targets; however, 20 sites were hit during this period.