The snow-lined capital is viewed thru the impact gap of a Russian drone that hit the kill ground of an condo building, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, January 15, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Ukraine’s top defense pressure commander acknowledged Russia is displaying no indicators of curiosity in talks ensuing in a peace deal and, as an different, is boosting arms production, along side a target of 1,000 drones per day.
“On the contrary, we see an increase in intensity of military actions, an increase in the number of offensive enemy groupings, an increase in production of strike weapons, missiles and drones,” Oleksandr Syrskyi suggested the internet media outlet lb.ua in an interview revealed on Sunday (January 18, 2026).
“At the moment, the enemy produces daily 404 ‘Shaheds’ (Iranian-designed drones) of different kinds. And the plans are to increase that. The enemy plans to boost production significantly, up to 1,000 drones a day.”
Ukraine’s defense pressure, he acknowledged, has to retain out “everything to disrupt these plans and inflict losses so that the enemy renounces its plans, and also to create conditions in order to hold talks. No one is going to make a deal with a weak side.”
Mr. Syrskyi also praised the Ukrainian defense pressure’s “deep-strike” ways, which he described as “our strong point,” ensuing in hits on 719 targets and $15 billion in hurt, mainly to Russia’s oil industry.
Ukraine has snappy developed its capacity to earn drones since Russia launched its invasion of its smaller neighbour in February 2022 and is depending on further advances.
Russian forces retain about 20% of Ukrainian territory and are engaged in a unhurried attain thru eastern Ukraine, asserting the capture of unique villages several instances a week.
Protection pressure leaders have stressed the significance of building “interceptor drones” because the most ambiance pleasant and economical strategy of combating Russian drone attacks, in reputation of the utilization of missiles.
Mr. Syrskyi acknowledged that Russia had the likelihood to arrangement on a long way elevated numbers to deploy in its items, but acknowledged mobilisation figures had improved in fresh months.
“I can say this: we have much improved numbers in this regard than was the case, say, seven months ago,” he suggested lb.ua.
The improvement, he acknowledged, turn into attributable to greater operation of recruitment centres and training and “in terms of working with people, because we understand that, first of all, problems arise where there is no proper human treatment towards the people being mobilized”.
Mr. Syrskyi also acknowledged Ukrainian losses in 2025 had been diminished by 13% when in contrast to the outdated 300 and sixty five days “while at the same time the level of enemy losses has risen significantly”.
Printed – January 19, 2026 08:19 am IST
