[Ukrainian Military Intelligence: Russia Currently Produces About 170 "Shaheds" Per Day]
An insider from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Intelligence Directorate told the media that as of mid-May 2025, Russia is producing approximately 170 "Shahed" (Шахед) drones and their imitations per day, with plans to increase daily production to 190 by year-end. In the coming years, Russia may gradually expand capacity to up to 500 per day.
The core obstacle to Russia's drone production increase is a shortage of labor. Intelligence indicates that Russia recruits personnel under the guise of "training" from countries in Africa and Central Asia, actually sending them to participate in weapon assembly in places like Elabuga. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) noted that since 2023, the area of the Elabuga drone production base has doubled, adding five new buildings, some equipped with protective facilities.
Leaked documents from 2022 showed that the cost of a single "Shahed" is about $196,000, but the current cost due to scaled production and technological upgrades remains unclear. Data from the Ukrainian military shows that since the conflict began, Russian forces have launched over 28,000 "Shahed" and decoy drones in Ukraine.
Ukrainian military expert and editor-in-chief of "Defense Express," Oleh Katerkov, pointed out that Russia lacks the resources in the short term to increase the daily launch volume of "Sunflower" drones to 1,000. These statements may be psychological intimidation toward Europe, aimed at exaggerating war risks.
Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1834218999572556/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's views.