KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Commander Robert “Madyar” Brovdi warned that Russia is preparing to increase simultaneous ballistic missile salvos from roughly 77 missiles to as many as 200.
• The warning comes as Russia expands ballistic missile production and Ukraine faces shortages of Patriot interceptor missiles.
• Brovdi said even a partial increase would pose a serious challenge to Ukraine’s air defenses.
• He stressed that long-range strikes on Russian missile production and launch infrastructure remain essential to reducing the threat.

Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, has warned that Russia is working to dramatically increase the size of its simultaneous ballistic missile salvos, potentially raising them from around 77 missiles to as many as 200. The warning comes as Moscow accelerates missile production while Ukraine continues to face shortages of Patriot interceptors capable of stopping ballistic threats.

Ballistic Threat Could Grow Significantly

Speaking about Russia’s evolving strike capabilities, Brovdi said current intelligence indicates Moscow aims to substantially expand the number of ballistic missiles it can launch in a single coordinated attack.

He warned that even if Russia achieved only half of that objective, the scale of future missile barrages would place enormous pressure on Ukraine’s air defense network.

Air Defense Faces Increasing Pressure

Ballistic missiles remain among the most difficult aerial threats to intercept because of their high speed and flight profile.

Ukraine relies primarily on Patriot air defense systems to defend against such attacks, but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recently said deliveries of interceptor missiles from partners have fallen significantly compared with last year.

Long-Range Strikes Seen as Key

Brovdi argued that Ukraine’s most effective response is to destroy missile production facilities, storage sites, and launch infrastructure before weapons can be used.

Military analysts have likewise noted that disrupting Russia’s missile supply chain may become increasingly important as Moscow expands domestic production and receives additional support from North Korea.

Russia Expands Missile Capabilities

Monitoring groups estimate that Russia launched 126 ballistic missiles during July, the highest monthly figure recorded in 2026.

The increase has raised concerns that Moscow is preparing for larger coordinated strikes against Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure ahead of the winter season.