Ukraine unveils new drone designed to intercept Russian-used Shaheds
Ukraine unveiled a domestically developed drone designed to intercept and destroy Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia, the Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi reported on April 9.
According to its designers, the drone has already been deployed in combat and has successfully destroyed more than 20 Shahed-type drones over the past two months.
The designers said this is the most effective interceptor drone currently in service with the Armed Forces. The system is also capable of targeting reconnaissance drones.
The interceptor drone's maximum flight speed is 200 kilometers per hour (approximately 124 miles per hour), and it can operate at altitudes up to 5 kilometers (about 3.1 miles).
Unlike traditional air defense systems that rely on costly anti-aircraft missiles, the new drone offers a cheaper and more sustainable option for downing low-speed, small-sized targets.
Russia has extensively used Shahed drones since late 2022, particularly the Shahed-136 model, to strike critical infrastructure and civilian areas across Ukraine. The low-flying, self-detonating drones have become a central element of Russia's long-range strike tactics.
The Ukrainian drone was showcased to Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever during his visit to Kyiv on April 8. De Wever visited Bucha in Kyiv Oblast and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier in the day.
Kyiv has prioritized the development of high-performance, low-cost domestic defense technologies to improve protection and reduce dependence on Western-supplied missile systems.
Martin Fornusek
