Russia intends to simultaneously launch up to 2,000 drones on Ukraine, said German Major General Christian Freuding. Source: Freuding on the Bundeswehr's Nachgefragt podcast on Saturday 19 July Details: Freuding has information that Russia is significantly expanding its production capacity to enable mass drone deployment in the war against Ukraine.

Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine overnight into Saturday with hundreds of drones, killing at least one person, part of a stepped-up bombing campaign that has dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the more than 3-year-old war.

Under a scheme first trialled last year and dubbed "Army of Drones: Bonus" (also known as "e-points"), units can earn points for each Russian soldier killed or piece of equipment destroyed. And like a killstreak in Call of Duty, or a 1970s TV game show, points mean prizes.