Ukraine’s Interceptor Drones Now Account for 30% of Air Defense Kills

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have significantly increased the effectiveness of their UAV interceptor drones within the air defense system, Militarnyi reported on February 24, citing the Deputy Commander of UAVs for Air Defense of the Ukrainian Air Force, Yuriy Cherevashenko.

Cherevashenko stated that interceptors now account for 30% of the destruction of airborne targets, meaning that one in every three air targets is eliminated by UAVs. These interceptors primarily target enemy drones of various types.

It was previously reported that over the past year Ukraine had ramped up domestic production and integrated a record number of cheap, scalable FPV interceptor drones into its multi-layered air-defense architecture, specifically designed to protect the country against Russian mass drone attacks.

Russia’s ability to launch hundreds or thousands of drones over short periods makes missile-only interception economically unsustainable. Ukrainian interceptor drones are meant to absorb volume. They do not replace missile systems; they preserve them. By matching cheap threats with cheap counters, Ukraine began reshaping the cost curve of air defense rather than trying to outrun it.

By the end of 2025, interceptor drones, ranging from $3,000 to $5,000, had been integrated at scale into various air defense units and achieved surprising results. According to President Zelenskyy, the average success rate of these drones is 68%. The Russian Shahed drone can cost upwards of $100,000—still much cheaper than any missile.

Read more

Category

War in Ukraine

How Ukraine Started 2026 with Record Anti-Shahed Drone Production and a New Era in Air Defense

Jan 08, 2026 15:13

The UAV interceptors create an additional layer of air defense, enhancing the overall airspace protection system. The use of UAVs helps reduce the strain on surface-to-air missile systems and other air defense components, while also saving expensive anti-aircraft missiles.

“The unmanned component of air defense is becoming one of the key areas of development for Ukrainian defense. The military continues to scale up and improve these solutions,” Cherevashenko stated.

Earlier, Ukrainian forces had used drone interceptors to shoot down 64 Shahed-type attack drones in one day, marking one of the highest confirmed single-day figures for this defensive tactic since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The figure was confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his nightly address.

According to Zelenskyy, the Russian military launched a large-scale aerial assault involving 247 strike assets throughout the day, including drones, cruise missiles, and at least 18 ballistic missiles.

Support our frontline reporters

We report from the front lines to show the reality of war. Your support helps us stay there and tell the stories that matter.

DONATE NOW