Domestic Missiles to Fight Jet Drones by Late October, Zelensky Says

Live updates

1. 1h ago

   Ukraine to Deploy Domestic Missiles and Turrets Against Jet Drones

   Ukraine plans to begin using small domestic air defense missiles against Russian jet-powered drones by late October. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the impending deployment as Kyiv struggles to counter faster attack drones that have turned the capital into a daytime war zone. Alongside the upcoming missiles, Ukraine has already installed over 12 automated gun turrets in Kyiv, which officials report have scored their first successful kills against the high-speed unmanned aerial vehicles. Manufacturers are racing to build new interceptors, including the tested Nika missile and SPYS interceptor, to match the pace of the Russian threat.

   Why it matters

   Russia's deployment of jet-powered Shahed drones has outpaced traditional Ukrainian air defenses, presenting a severe tactical challenge during daytime attacks. To bridge this capability gap, Ukrainian defense developers have accelerated the creation of robotic counter-measures and specialized interceptors derived from concepts like the Bars missile-drone. Stopping these high-speed threats is critical for protecting urban infrastructure from continuous aerial bombardments.

   What is confirmed

   • President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will begin using small air defense missiles against Russian drones in October.
   • Kyiv has installed over 12 automated turrets to defend against jet-powered drones.
   • Ukraine's robotic gun turrets have scored their first kills against Russia's fast attack drones, according to the Air Force spokesman.
   • Ukraine has tested the Nika missile and SPYS interceptor against jet-powered drones.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The jet-powered interceptor was developed based on the Bars missile-drone.

   What to watch next

   • Deployment of domestic anti-aircraft missiles before the end of October
   • Further operational results from the automated gun turrets deployed in Kyiv
   Sources used for this update (25)

   1. The Washington Post — Russia’s jet-powered drones are turning Kyiv into a daytime war zone
   2. spectrum.ieee.org — Ukraine's Air Defenses Have No Answer for Russia's Jet Shahed Drones
   3. AP News — Jet-powered drones outpace Ukrainian defenses as manufacturers race to build new interceptors
   4. The Independent — Ukraine war live: Row breaks out with ally over North Korean soldiers
   5. www.gulf-times.com — tag - Gulf Times
   6. onenessofhumanity.wordpress.com — Category: Iran
   7. Українська правда — Zelenskyy: Over 12 turrets installed in Kyiv to counter jet-powered drones
   8. Kyiv Post — Domestic Missiles to Fight Jet Drones by Late October, Zelensky Says
   9. Yahoo — Zelenskyy on importance of sanctions: every Russian drone can be stopped on the production line
   10. www.breitbart.com — Oliver JJ Lane, Author at Breitbart
   11. ukrinform.net — Zelensky: Ukraine tests Nika missile and SPYS interceptor against jet-powered drones
   12. Militarnyi — Jet-Powered Interceptor Likely Developed Based on Bars Missile-Drone
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