Ukraine's answer to Russia's new jet-powered drones takes a Shahed-like form

Live updates

1. 56m ago

   Zelenskyy orders scale-up of jet-powered interceptor drones

   President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ordered the increased production of a new jet-powered interceptor drone designed to counter Russian jet-powered Shahed drones. The interceptor resembles a Shahed drone in form and has been shown in footage destroying a target. Alongside this production ramp-up, Zelenskyy approved new long-range operations against Russian targets in response to recent Russian strikes.

   Why it matters

   Russia has introduced jet-powered versions of its Shahed drones to increase attack speed and evasion. Ukraine is responding by developing high-speed aerial interceptors to neutralize these threats before they reach their targets.

   What is confirmed

   • President Zelenskyy unveiled a new interceptor drone to target jet-powered Shahed drones.
   • Zelenskyy ordered the scale-up of the jet-powered drone interceptor.
   • Zelenskyy approved new long-range operations against Russian targets.
   • Footage shows the interceptor drone destroying a target.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The new interceptor drone takes a Shahed-like form.

   What to watch next

   • Deployment numbers of the interceptor drones in active defense zones
   • Results of the newly approved long-range operations against Russian targets
   Sources used for this update (5)

   1. Українська правда — Zelenskyy unveils new interceptor drone for jet-powered Shahed drones – video
   2. Yahoo — Footage shows Ukraine's latest answer to jet-powered Shaheds destroy target
   3. UNITED24 Media — Zelenskyy Approves New Long-Range Strikes on Russian Targets, Orders Jet-Powdered Drone Interceptor Scale-Up
   4. Business Insider — Ukraine's answer to Russia's new jet-powered drones takes a Shahed-like form
   5. The Kyiv Independent — Ukraine war latest: Zelensky approves 'new long-range operations' in response to Russian strikes
   confidence 100%