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Ukraine’s Interceptor Drones Destroy 1,500 Russian UAVs in February Alone
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Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that in February, Ukrainian interceptor drones destroyed more than 1,500 Russian drones of various types launched by the Russian army against Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Despite a significant worsening of weather conditions and a shortage of weapons, the performance of small air defense did not decrease, he noted on March 3.
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The General said that over the past month, Ukrainian interceptor drones conducted about 6,300 sorties and destroyed over 1,500 Russian UAVs of various types.
The Commander-in-Chief emphasized that he is monitoring the implementation of projects to strengthen anti-drone protection and counter Russian Shahed-type strike UAVs.
According to him, the key role in this effort is shifting to interceptor drones. Syrskyi said that in Kyiv and its surroundings during February, the share of such interceptor drones in hitting Shahed drones was over 70 percent.
The General said he heard reports on the progress of the anti-drone protection project for important administrative centers in Ukrainian regions and the modernization of army aviation helicopters to better counter Shahed drones.
He noted that the Ukrainian military is finding answers to new Russian tactics involving the use of Shahed-type UAVs at extremely low altitudes. The Commander-in-Chief said they are working with manufacturers to increase the efficiency of various models of interceptor drones.
Syrskyi added that based on the results of the meeting, he gave instructions to the relevant military command bodies, including newly created ones.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine’s interceptor drones had achieved a 68% success rate in neutralizing Russian Shahed drones. During an interview in October 2025, he described these interceptors as the most cost-effective method for countering the Iranian-made UAVs used by the Russian army during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy explained that while a single interceptor costs between $3,000 and $5,000, the targets they destroyed were valued at up to $150,000, making the economic balance favorable for Ukraine despite the need for significant additional funding to scale production.
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