On July 31, at the Veza Civil Center studio, director Valerii Kluchok and military expert Ivan Stopak discussed a large-scale attack using kamikaze Shahed drones, including a new jet-powered modification capable of speeds over 500 km/h.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, more than 330 drones and missiles were launched throughout the country during the night, with at least eight believed to be jet-powered. In Kyiv alone, the attack left nearly 140 people injured and eight dead, including children and a five-month-old infant.
Expert Ivan Stopak emphasized that the exact number of jet-powered drones will only be confirmed after technical analysis of debris. The use of such drones complicates the work of mobile firing teams and air defenses, as they are difficult to intercept with conventional weapons, requiring newer interception systems like specialized drones and advanced radar tracking.
Ukraine currently lacks enough effective means to destroy jet-powered Shaheds, relying heavily on Western-supplied air defenses and missiles. The commentators note that Russia is ahead in drone modernization, which presents a major challenge for Ukrainian airspace protection.
The program also highlighted the increasing rhetorical escalation between the US and Russia, with recent public exchanges between Trump and Medvedev. Large-scale war cessation is seen as unlikely, and the standoff continues in the diplomatic arena. Experts predict that hardened rhetoric will reduce cooperation between the countries and further isolate Russia from the West.
Recommendations include ramping up the production and procurement of interception drones, expediting Western military aid to Ukraine, and developing domestic defense technologies. The experts stress that for Ukraine, holding the line is the only viable option.
