Ukrainian forces have developed and successfully deployed a new interceptor drone to destroy Russian jet-powered Shahed strike drones, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has said, as he shared footage of the new weapon. Zelensky posted on social media a video purporting to show the new drone taking off and flying, writing that Ukraine’s SBU military counter-intelligence had success in intercepting high-speed Russian drones Following an operational briefing from Ukraine’s Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Oleksandr Poklad, Zelensky noted a “good result from the Security Service’s military counterintelligence in countering jet ‘Shaheds.’” Russia has used the Shahed drone extensively in the war against Ukraine, increasingly against civilian targets. With the new interceptor drone, Zelensky said that “step by step, we are moving forward to give Ukraine greater protection.” Newsweek has contacted the Ukraine armed forces for further comment.
Zelensky’s announcement comes as Ukraine’s military steps up its trials of domestic unmanned systems to defeat high-speed aerial targets. Ukraine’s Armed Forces are evaluating four advanced models of interceptor drones in combat sectors along the front line to neutralize Russian turbojet-powered strike drones with cost-effective alternatives to expensive missile systems. Around 10 other domestic manufacturers in Ukraine are testing prototypes before submitting them for formal military codification, the Kyiv Post reported.
Ukrainian defense planners have prioritized interceptor drones to relieve pressure on ground-based air defenses as Russia steps up its launches of jet-powered Geran-4 and Banderol loitering munitions. Their speeds of up to 400 miles an hour mean that conventional mobile anti-aircraft gun teams and propeller-driven interceptors are less effective. Zelensky’s announcement comes as the U.S.
State Department said it had approved a possible $2.7 billion sale of air defense systems and related equipment and services to Ukraine. Kyiv had requested the package which consists of S-300 Clone and GAM-67 missiles, radar systems for countering drones, range-extended laser-guided air defense systems, counter-drone radars, and mobile launcher modification kits. The deal will be financed through European contributions and U.S.
Foreign Military Financing (FMF) funds appropriated under the previous administration. The aim is to improve Ukraine’s capability to meet current and future threats by further equipping it to conduct self-defense and regional security missions with a more robust air defense capability, the State Department statement said. It is hoped to give a boost to Ukraine as Russia uses drone attacks increasingly to target civilian infrastructure while continuing large-scale strikes, including with ballistic missiles.
Ukraine faces a shortage of Patriot air defense munitions although Washington is poised to approve the transfer of 10 Patriot interceptor missiles from Germany to Ukraine, according to recent U.S. congressional records. Contact Newsweek editor on this story: Edward Pearcey.
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