Ukraine has sought to scale up its air defences in response, deploying cheap interceptor drones to destroy their Russian counterparts.
Russia fired more drones at Ukraine in March than in any month since it launched its full-scale invasion in early 2022, intensifying deadly strikes as peace talks stalled, according to an AFP analysis released on Thursday.
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The report, which used daily reports published by Ukraine's air force, showed Russia fired at least 6,462 long-range drones into Ukraine last month, up nearly 28% over February and the second straight monthly increase.
Russia launched 138 missiles at Ukraine in the same period, a decrease of around 52% compared with the previous month, the data showed.
Of the missiles and drones, the Ukrainian air force said it had downed nearly 90% of them, the highest interception rate since February 2025, according to the data.
The data also includes a rare daytime attack on 24 March that damaged the UNESCO-protected city of Lviv in western Ukraine, authorities reported.
US-led talks aimed at ending Russia's ongoing all-out war stalled in March, as Washington shifted focus to Iran war.
Russia has ramped up its drone production to an industrial scale over the course of its war. Meanwhile, Ukraine has sought to scale up its air defences in response, deploying cheap interceptor drones to destroy their Russian counterparts.
Sharing experience
Meanwhile, Ukraine has agreed to provide Gulf states with its complete air defence system — including maritime drones, electronic warfare and interception technology — to counter drone strikes from Iran.
That comes after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrapped up a tour of the region, which saw him visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Jordan.
“Not just interceptors alone, but also defence lines, software, electronic warfare systems, and so on. In other words, we are taking a systemic approach to this," Zelenskyy said.
Speaking in a WhatsApp chat with journalists, he also confirmed that Ukraine’s maritime drones are part of the deals made with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
Kyiv’s naval drone fleet has been expanding in recent years and Ukrainian sea drones have proven effective in inflicting heavy losses on Russia’s military sites and ships in the Black Sea, such as the Magura-V5 drones, which have been used to target the Russian fleet.
Zelenskyy also said that Ukraine is willing to share its expertise in unblocking maritime trade routes with the naval drones.
“We shared our experience with the Black Sea corridor and how it operates. They understand that our Armed Forces have been highly effective in unblocking the Black Sea corridor. We are sharing these details.”
Zelenskyy announced in September that Kyiv was ready to take a much-anticipated step, which would transform the country’s defence industry and allow Kyiv’s partners to access the rarest type of weapons – those tested on the battlefield.
And this is why it is important that the deals have been signed for 10 years, Zelenskyy said.
"It is about exports and about opening up exports. But it the right kind of opening, where we understand that we are not selling our experience for nothing."
Countries across the Gulf have been keen to tap into Ukraine's first-hand experience of countering aerial attacks after they were dragged into the war in Iran.
Tehran maintains it has only targeted US military assets in the region. However, official statements from neighbouring countries and reports by Euronews journalists on the ground across the region confirm Iranian air strikes have hit civilian targets like energy installations, cargo ships and hotels.