Russia is deploying a devastating new tactic in its war with Ukraine, according to UK intelligence.

Thousands of drones are being used to attack targets across the country, the Ministry of Defence said in its latest update on the conflict.

Approximately 2,300 of the drones - known as One Way Attack Uncrewed Aerial Systems - were launched by Russia in November alone, an increase on the previous month’s figure.

“Monthly OWAUAS numbers have been increasing consistently throughout 2024, with significant increases - greater than 200 on the previous month - since July 2024,” the MoD said.

Many of the drones are decoys “to complicate the Ukrainian defensive effort through saturating or confusing the radar picture” and tire out Kyiv’s aerial defence systems.

However, the decoy drones still carry up to 5kg of explosives, so are “no less dangerous when they reach a target”, the update on X said.

Around 850 drones have been launched in December so far, but Russia is able to send around 1,500 a month into Ukrainian airspace.

According to the MoD, this tactic also allows Russia to “maintain pressure” on Ukraine while it replenishes its stocks of long-range missiles.

The MoD revealed at the weekend that Ukraine has lost around half of the Russian territory it seized in the summer.

That is thanks in part to the recruitment of thousands of North Korean troops to help Russia’s war effort.