Zelenskyy: Hungarian drones likely conducted reconnaissance of Ukraine’s defence industry

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday said that reconnaissance drones, believed to be Hungarian, violated Ukraine’s airspace and were likely monitoring the country’s defence industry.

Zelenskyy made the remarks following a meeting with Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi, Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov, Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal, and Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Pavlo Palisa.

“Ukrainian servicemen identified reconnaissance drones in our airspace, and these are likely Hungarian drones. Preliminary information suggests they may have been conducting reconnaissance of Ukraine’s industrial potential in border areas,” Zelenskyy said, instructing officials to verify all available data.

The President also reported the meeting addressed the frontline situation, with the Dobropillya operation highlighted as a key focus. To date, Ukrainian forces have liberated 168.8 square kilometers of territory, while an additional 187.7 square kilometers have been cleared of Russian sabotage groups.

Russian losses in the operation alone have reached nearly 3,000 soldiers, most of them killed, Zelenskyy noted, adding that the replenishment of exchange funds is ongoing. Separate briefings were delivered on the situation around Kupiansk, as well as Ukrainian actions in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions.

Syrskyi also informed the President that Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian Su-34 bomber in the Zaporizhzhia region, which had been used in attacks against cities and villages.

Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine will continue targeting Russian aircraft in response to attacks on civilian areas and is working to further strengthen its air defence capabilities.