Ukraine is racing to develop an interceptor capable of countering Russia’s new generation of jet-powered drones, which have wreaked havoc across the country in recent months.
Jet drones, along with the Kremlin’s ballistic weapons and new cruise missiles, have caused extensive damage in and around the capital Kiev.
It is also being used to target warehouses, gas stations, postal facilities, and factories, making it a broader war in terms of targets.
Jet-powered Shahed drones, known as Geran-4 and Geran-5, are more difficult to intercept due to their speed and numbers. These are three times faster than the original Shahed that Russia procured from Iran.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday that “drone attacks are constant and are carried out by Shaheds, which carry many jets.” He said about 1,500 drones of all types had been launched into Ukraine in the past four days, more than half of them jets.
Mass deployment of jet-powered drones has accelerated over the past two months. About 1,500 machines were used in July and more than 2,500 in August, said Serhiy Beskhrestnov, an adviser to Mr Zelensky.
He said in a Facebook post over the weekend that they are being “released in Ukraine virtually directly from the factory.” Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency claims that the jet-powered drone contains hundreds of parts manufactured by foreign companies, including the United States, Britain and China.
Many jet-powered drones were launched towards the capital as Russia launched a day and night barrage of fire against Kiev. On Saturday, Ukraine’s military announced that Russia had launched 224 drones into Ukraine during the day, most of them jets. On Sunday, Kiev received eight air raid warnings between midnight and dusk.
Ukrainian officials say the Kremlin’s goal is to exhaust Ukraine’s air defenses and demoralize civilians as it expands its list of targets to include food warehouses and stores and continues attacks on its energy infrastructure.
“We have to change our approach and response mechanisms because the enemy is trying to paralyze economic activity in the capital and major cities,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky said over the weekend.
The intensity of Russia’s daytime strikes also occurred just as children were preparing for the new school year.
Kyiv city authorities announced on Monday that classes were likely to be suspended and urged parents to discuss “simple but important issues such as what to do in the event of a warning, where to evacuate and what to do if you find yourself in a dangerous situation on your way to school.”
“In the current situation, this is as much a part of back-to-school preparation as packing school bags or preparing uniforms,” the group said.
President Zelenskiy has acknowledged that for now, fighter jets are primarily the ones defending against jet-powered drones. But Ukraine’s small air force is already stretched to its limits, and using fighter jets against drones is expensive.
And the race continues, in yet another episode of the leapfrog technology race that has defined nearly five years of war.
President Zelenskiy said over the weekend that four companies were developing related interceptor drones, one of which had “the most successful technology.” According to Defense Minister Evgeny Kumara, practical tests have already begun for all four candidates. “The aim is to bring these solutions to the required level as quickly as possible and scale up production to thousands of units,” he said on Saturday.
But devising and deploying technology is an entirely different challenge. “Offensive forces are always one step ahead of defensive forces,” Pablo Parisa, deputy head of the presidential palace, said on Friday. “We definitely have to adapt. It’s going to take time.”
One of Ukraine’s promising interceptors, the Sting, has reportedly shot down two jet-powered drones in recent days.
Another Ukrainian company, F-Drones, has also updated its interceptor. “We developed LITAVR+ because Russia currently deploys jet-powered Shahed drones. The upgraded interceptor will reach speeds of over 400 km/h,” he said in X.
Countering jet-powered drones is also a top priority for former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who began his visit to the United States to explore areas for cooperation with “defense technology companies and organizations that can partner in new projects and contribute to strengthening Ukraine.”
“We also plan to build new businesses from the ground up around technologies that are critically needed on today’s battlefields,” Fedorov wrote in a post on X, including robotics to “remove personnel from the most dangerous frontline sectors” and low-cost AI-guided missiles.
Russian banderole targets Ukraine’s maritime corridor
The battle for technological superiority in conflicts is never-ending. While Ukraine has successfully expanded the range of its medium- and long-range attack drones, Russia has developed an inexpensive cruise missile called the Banderor.
The 5-meter (16-foot) long missile has a reported top speed of 385-405 miles per hour (620-650 kilometers per hour) and a range of up to 310 miles (500 kilometers). It carries a 330-pound (150-kilogram) warhead.
Its range is sufficient to cover most of southern Ukraine if launched from a helicopter over Crimea. In recent weeks, dozens of Banderoles have been used against the port of Odessa, disrupting Ukrainian grain exports.
Since the beginning of August, Ukraine has exported 1.4 million tons of grains and oilseeds, only about a third of its potential export volume, according to Agricultural Policy Minister Taras Vysotsky.
Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pretenchuk said in early August that the Banderol attack had significantly delayed operations along Ukraine’s maritime corridor through the Black Sea. Industry insiders say the constant attacks have made insurance for grain shipments too expensive.
Analysts say the Russian military may be preparing to launch Banderoles from ground platforms as well as drones and helicopters.
Former Defense Minister Fedorov, who was sacked by President Zelenskiy in July and now works in a civilian capacity, warned that Ukraine was “starting to slowly, slowly lose” the war.
He told the Financial Times while in Washington that the situation was changing month by month, but warned that Russia’s recent airstrikes and increasing use of missiles and advanced drones were a significant challenge.
“If we don’t address these issues now, they’re going to crush us,” he said.
