Undisclosed (Ukraine) (AFP) – Brightly coloured helium balloons in hand, Ukrainian soldiers take part in creative anti-drone target practice. “A balloon behaves unpredictably in the air,” says ‘Maly’, explaining that the targets mimic the movements of a Russian drone. Training like this has become invaluable in the war in Ukraine, where the use of unmanned drones has intensified greatly. AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data shows that Russia launched 36 percent more drones and missiles in September than in August 2025.
