Putin losing 1,000 troops a day as Ukraine AI Hornet drone attacks intensify

Ukraine’s AI-powered drone strikes are reportedly inflicting over 1,000 daily casualties on Russian forces, with autonomous Hornet drones targeting supply lines and military installations deep behind enemy lines, according to Ukrainian officials.

Russia is losing more than 1,000 soldiers daily as Ukrainian forces, equipped with AI-powered drones, launch a determined counter-offensive, according to battlefield analysis.

Ukraine has strengthened its medium- and long-range strike capabilities, deploying domestically developed drone and missile systems to counter Russia’s four-year invasion. Attacks on Russian oil infrastructure, which funds the invasion, have become almost daily occurrences.

Ukraine is increasingly relying on artificial intelligence-driven drones to target Russian military bases deep within frontline positions.

Recent attacks have targeted supply convoys and logistical routes linking Russia with southern Ukraine, experts told the BBC. They stated that Ukraine’s AI-equipped Hornet drones can identify and track targets autonomously once directed towards a specific area.

Figures from the Ukrainian General Staff reveal that Russian battlefield casualties – both dead and injured – totalled 32,980 in April, averaging 1,099 per day. As of Friday, Russia has sustained total losses of 28,200, with an average daily casualty rate of 1,044, throughout May 2026, reports the Express.

Britain’s Defence Secretary John Healey told The Sun on Sunday: “Ukrainians continue to fight with huge courage and defiance – civilians and military alike. Ukrainian forces are not just holding the line – they are pushing it back, making gains across the front.

“Month after month, in this brutal war of attrition, Russia is losing tens of thousands of troops with little gain for such a great loss. Putin has none of the momentum he claims. Our commitment is clear – we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”, reports the Mirror.

“We are backing Ukraine in the fight today – with drones, training, and cutting-edge kit – and we are leading the coalition of allies to secure the peace tomorrow.”

This comes after Russia’s claim that Ukraine was to blame following a drone strike on the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Ukraine rejected the accusation as an effort to ‘conceal Russia’s own criminal actions’.