Since the beginning of 2026, Russia has launched over 31,000 means of destruction at Ukraine. However, 97% of them are not missiles. They are Shaheds and kamikaze drones. According to statistics, it is their debris that poses the main daily threat to the civilian population.
Attack Structure: Drones Dominate
According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for January–May 2026:
- Shaheds and kamikaze drones: ~30,250 launches (~96.5% of the total)
- Missiles of all types: ~1,100 launches (~3.5% of the total)
- Total: over 31,000 means of destruction
Out of every 30 objects flying towards Ukraine, 29 are drones.
Shot Down — But the Threat Remains
Ukrainian air defense intercepts nearly 95% of Shaheds. But a shot-down Shahed is not yet a neutralized Shahed.
UAVs weighing almost 50 kg (and sometimes twice as much) shatter into debris and fall on residential buildings, yards, and roads — within a radius ranging from several hundred meters to several kilometers from the interception point.
According to the State Emergency Service and local administrations, it is UAV debris — rather than direct hits — that causes most of the property damage, injuries, and deaths among civilians during mass air raids.
Shahed shoot-down statistics reflect the performance of air defense, but they do not serve as an indicator of safety for people on the street.
The Threat is Growing: Month-by-Month Data
Since the beginning of 2026, the number of launched drones has been increasing every month. Compare the key months:
Over the course of 5 months, the monthly number of Shaheds has nearly doubled — from 4,400 in January to 8,150 in May (+85%). At the same time, air defense is also becoming more efficient, meaning the absolute volume of drones falling as debris is also steadily growing.
Why a Shelter is Necessary
A missile strike is a rare event. A mass drone raid is a nightly reality for most regions of Ukraine. Therefore, shelters must be designed primarily to handle the current threat:
- Protection against the blast wave and debris of a Shahed explosion
- The ability to stay safe during a prolonged air raid
You don't think about a shelter while it's quiet.
But it's rarely quiet anymore.
A missile strike is a fear.
A Shahed every night is a reality.
Shelters are not built out of fear. They are built out of reality.
This isn't preparing for the end of the world.
This is the place you go to tonight. And tomorrow. And the day after tomorrow.
This is the place where your family waits for the morning.
Summary
97% of air attacks on Ukraine are drones. Even when shot down, they leave behind debris that maims and kills. That is why a shelter against Shaheds is neither a luxury nor over-caution. It is a basic necessity for every community.
Useful Links
→ Buy a shelter with certified protection against Shahed explosions: https://bunker-ok.com.ua/arca-category-ua
→ Shahed-136 testing video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykurf5J99b4&t
→ Other articles by BUNKER-OK: https://bunker-ok.com.ua/blog-ua
→ Be the first to read — subscribe to the BUNKER-OK Telegram channel: @bunkerok_safe_with_us
Data: Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Obozrevatel "Information Resistance", ISW, State Emergency Service of Ukraine. Period: January–May 2026.