Russia's faster Shaheds could rival ballistic missiles this winter

Live updates

1. 1h ago

   Jet-Powered Russian Drones Strain Ukrainian Air Defences

   Russia is deploying turbojet drones, known as Shaheds or Geran-2, that fly twice as fast and are now attacking Ukraine by the thousands. These faster attack drones are challenging the lower-cost defences that Ukraine developed against earlier models, achieving a previous shoot-down rate of 90 to 95 percent. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukrainian intelligence obtained internal documents showing Russia plans to spend $12 billion on jet-powered drones and loitering munitions next year. Kyiv is pursuing specialized interceptors and additional Patriot ammunition.

   Why it matters

   A few months ago, the primary serious threat to Kyiv and other cities came from Russian and North Korean ballistic missiles. Ukrainian air defence units and the mil-tech industry had successfully raised shoot-down rates for older propeller-driven Shaheds, but combat has shown that speed alone cannot catch the new jet-powered variants. Analysts warn that if new interceptors fail to match jet engine technology, traditional missiles may return as the primary means of air defence.

   What is confirmed

   • President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukrainian intelligence obtained internal Russian documents outlining production volumes and funding for next year.
   • President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Russia plans to spend $12 billion on jet-powered drones and loitering munitions next year.
   • Ukraine raised the shoot-down rate for common Shahed drones to 90 to 95 percent before the introduction of the faster variants.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Whether new interceptors can effectively catch up with jet engine technology is still unknown.

   What to watch next

   • The development and deployment of specialized Ukrainian interceptors against jet-powered Shaheds
   • Allocations of additional Patriot ammunition to Ukrainian air defence units
   • Execution of Russia's planned $12 billion spending on drones and loitering munitions
   Sources used for this update (21)

   1. www.aljazeera.com — Russia | Russia | Today's latest from Al Jazeera
   2. Reuters — Jet-powered Russian drones strain Ukraine's air defences
   3. The Guardian — The long-range drone war: Ukraine and Russia scramble for supremacy in the skies
   4. Business Insider — Russia's once-rare turbojet drones that fly twice as fast are now attacking Ukraine by the thousands
   5. The Kyiv Independent — Russia's faster Shaheds could rival ballistic missiles this winter
   6. Kyiv Post — Zelensky: Ukraine Accelerating Interceptor Production, Targeting Russia’s 2027 Drone and Missile Plans
   7. Ukrinform — ADF neutralizes 134 Russian drones used to attack Ukraine
   8. Yahoo — Zelenskyy discusses production of interceptors against Russian jet-powered Shaheds and data centre protection
   9. euromaidanpress.com — Combat shows speed alone can't catch Russia's jet-powered drones, despite eight Ukrainian makers' assurances. So why can't they stop them?
   10. The Kyiv Independent — Russia plans to spend $12 billion on jet-powered drones, loitering munitions next year, Zelensky says
   11. CBC — Why is it so difficult for Ukraine to take down Russia's jet-powered drones?
   12. kyivindependent.com — Russia's faster Shaheds could rival ballistic missiles this winter
   confidence 90%