BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine's continuous shooting down of Russian drones has aroused concern.

However, the US "New York Times" noted on the 4th that the cost of Ukraine's use of missiles to shoot down may be seven times the cost of Russia's dispatch of drones. The analysis believes that as time goes by, such a cost imbalance may cause Ukraine and its allies to Pay a heavy price.

Data map: On October 10, 2022 local time, multiple explosions occurred in the center of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

The picture shows the explosion in the center of Kyiv causing cars to burn.

　　The Ukrainian Air Force said it shot down about 80 drones sent by Russia to Ukraine over the New Year weekend, The New York Times reported.

"This is a result that has never been achieved," a spokesman for Ukraine's air defense forces said on January 3.

　　The report pointed out that Ukraine seems to be getting better at shooting down Russian drones.

But there's a question beyond that: How long can Ukraine's efforts last when many of its defenses cost far more than drones?

　　According to reports, the number of drones that have appeared over Ukraine is slow, noisy, and relatively easy to shoot down in the air.

But it's worth noting that the drones Russia uses are relatively cheap, while the weapons Ukraine uses to shoot them down from the air are much more expensive.

　　Artem Starosiek, head of Molfar, a consulting firm that supports Ukraine, estimates that using a missile to shoot down a drone costs seven times more than sending it out.

Molfar also estimates that Russia has dispatched about 600 drones to Ukraine since September 2022.

　　The drone can cost as little as $20,000 to produce, but the cost of launching a surface-to-air missile in Ukraine ranges from the old Soviet-made S-300 anti-aircraft missile to the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) , could range from $140,000 to $500,000.

　　Michael Kofman, a Russian military expert at the non-profit think tank CNA, also analyzed that Ukraine is using a "patchwork air defense system" to counter threats, including Soviet-era and NATO missile systems.

Among them, compared with the existing Soviet and European defense systems, some anti-aircraft guns in Ukraine are not expensive, but compared with drones, American-made interceptor missiles are quite expensive.

　　The report concluded that Ukraine currently relies on its allies, mainly the United States, to supply and pay for its air defense systems.

But over time, those allies are likely to tire of the high costs.