Ukraine war latest: New interceptors for Russian jet-powered drones

Ukraine war latest: New interceptors for Russian jet-powered drones 'successfully tested', Zelensky says

Ukraine has "successfully" trialed another interceptor drone designed to target Russian jet-powered Shahed drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sept. 15 following a briefing by Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi.

The jet-powered drones can reach speeds of up to 600 kilometers per hour (nearly 370 miles per hour), making them more difficult to intercept than earlier, piston-powered Shahed variants. Their use also increased sharply this summer, rising roughly fivefold in July compared with June, Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said Aug. 31.

"A 'shahed' was hit successfully, but some aspects of controlling the interceptor still need to be refined. The work continues – it will take some more time," Zelensky wrote on X.

Photo: Yuliia Ovsiannikova / Ukrinform / Future Publishing via Getty Images