Ukraine Tests Five High-Speed Drone Interceptor Models to Counter Russia’s Jet-Powered Attacks

Ukraine is testing five high-speed interceptor drone models designed to shoot down Russia’s increasingly common jet-powered attack drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the Financial Times published Friday. One of the five models could reach production of around 400 units by the end of October, while the other four remain under testing, Zelensky said.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Jet-powered drones, which blur the line between drones and missiles, have been increasingly used by Russia against Ukraine in recent attacks, posing challenges for Ukrainian air defenses as current interceptor drones struggle to catch up with their higher speeds. Zelensky said Russia launched around 500 drones against Ukraine in a recent 24-hour period, about half of them jet-powered. Ukraine is currently destroying about 57% of the jet-powered drones, compared with 85% to 90% of conventional drones, he told the FT. The faster drones have created a new challenge for Ukraine’s layered air defenses. Reuters reported in September that some Ukrainian interceptor prototypes struggled to remain controllable at speeds exceeding 400 kilometers per hour during testing, showing the technical difficulty of developing drones capable of chasing and destroying the new Russian weapons. Ukrainian manufacturers have nevertheless begun developing interceptors specifically for the threat. One model unveiled in September, the Zorelit v5, has a reported top speed of 416 kilometers per hour and a range of up to 47 kilometers. Other Topics of Interest Kyiv Grinds to a Halt as Russian Strikes Shut Bridges, Force People to Walk Dozens of passengers were left waiting at bus stops, while public transport services operated with significant delays, according to Kyiv Post correspondents, based in the capital. Its manufacturer says it can be used against both conventional Shahed-type drones and faster jet-powered variants. The biggest obstacle to rapidly scaling production is not only technology but supply. “Engines are key,” Zelensky told the FT. “We really import a lot of engines.” He said Ukraine produces some engines domestically but does not have enough to meet demand. He also cited a shortage of budget funding for the development and mass production of air-defense weapons. Ukraine has been working to expand domestic production of the technology. Zelensky said last week that new decisions had been made to establish production of several types of jet engines inside Ukraine, following tests of interceptor drones against Russian jet-powered Shaheds. The interceptor program has become increasingly urgent as Russia intensifies its aerial campaign against Ukrainian cities ahead of winter. The new interceptor drones are intended to provide Ukraine with a cheaper and more scalable layer of air defense against the faster weapons, reducing pressure on scarce surface-to-air missiles and fighter jets. Zelensky said US-made F-16s have proved effective against the new Russian drones, but argued that too many Ukrainian aircraft are undergoing lengthy maintenance in Europe. Kyiv wants more repair work moved inside Ukraine so the fighters can return to service faster. What changed in Russia’s drone war in Ukraine? Since Aug. 27, Kyiv has been living under a near-continuous drone campaign. Russia shifted its long-range drone tactics that day, replacing the large swarms once or twice a week that Kyiv residents had become accustomed to with repeated waves across Ukrainian airspace. The change was particularly noticeable in the capital, where attacks have increasingly continued into daytime hours. As of Friday, Oct. 2, there has been no clear let-up. Repeated drone attacks have disrupted life in Kyiv, while strikes on warehouses, businesses and other civilian infrastructure have increasingly affected economic activity. Russia has also sharply increased its use of jet-powered drones. Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said Russia launched 3,177 jet-powered UAVs in September as of Sept. 29, compared with 2,850 drones of all types in August. “We have already had more drones this month than in the previous month overall,” Ihnat said, adding that Russian forces were continuing to attack in waves. Kyiv and the Kyiv region remained the main focus, he said, while Kharkiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kherson and Dnipro were also repeatedly targeted. The increase marks a dramatic escalation from earlier in the summer. Ihnat previously said Russia used about 350 jet-powered drones in June, 1,500 in July and 2,850 in August. The new drones are significantly faster than the older piston-engine Shahed variants, making them harder for Ukraine’s existing low-cost interceptors to catch. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.