Ukraine Tests New Drone Interceptor

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday that Ukraine had successfully tested a new domestically developed weapon designed to intercept Russian drones.

During the test, the new interceptor scored a direct hit on a Shahed attack drone. Ukraine has been racing to develop new defenses against Russia’s increasingly sophisticated jet-powered versions of the Iranian-designed weapon.

Zelensky said several technical aspects still need to be refined before the system is ready for wider deployment, but development is continuing.

Ukraine’s military said its forces had downed 187 airborne targets overnight. Zelensky said 93% of Russian drones launched during the attack had been intercepted.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has focused on developing effective and cheaper ways to destroy drones, including interceptor drones and low-cost missiles.

Ukraine has had greater difficulty intercepting Russian ballistic missiles and has repeatedly called on its Western allies to increase supplies of interceptor missiles. Kyiv is also pushing for faster development of the European-designed Freyja air defense system.

(Reuters, max)