- Category
- Latest news
Zelenskyy: Ukraine’s Interceptors Achieve 68% Success Rate Against Russian Shahed Drones
- Authors
![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Ukraine’s drone interceptors have achieved a 68% success rate in destroying Russian Shahed drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Fox News on October 12.
Zelenskyy described interceptor drones as the most cost-effective method for neutralizing Iranian-made Shaheds used by Russia to strike Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
“The issue is money, and this is a real problem because we need funding,” the President said. He explained that one interceptor drone costs between $3,000 and $5,000, while a single Shahed costs around $120,000 to $150,000.
-919b6c9719e6fb60c6da2cbe4010170b.png)
Several Ukrainian companies have already begun large-scale production of interceptors, Zelenskyy said, noting that thousands are required daily to meet operational demands. He added that Western partners, including both Europe and the United States, recognize the efficiency of this technology.
Each Russian drone typically requires two or three interceptors to ensure destruction, but the overall economic balance remains in Ukraine’s favor given the much higher cost of the targets.
Zelenskyy stressed that the biggest constraint to expanding production is financing: “We need thousands of interceptors every day, and today we don’t have enough money for private producers to scale up manufacturing.” He expressed confidence that Ukraine would eventually secure the resources needed to increase production.
Iranian-designed Shahed drones—widely used by Russia since late 2022—have become a persistent threat to Ukraine’s air defenses. Kyiv’s growing reliance on low-cost interceptors reflects a broader shift toward domestic, scalable solutions that can counter large-volume drone attacks more economically than traditional air-defense missiles.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s 68% interception rate “will continue to rise,” as local manufacturing expands and new tactical adjustments are implemented on the battlefield.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced the creation of a new branch within the Air Force dedicated to drone air defense systems. Syrskyi said the initiative includes expanding radar coverage, boosting combat helicopter numbers, and strengthening electronic warfare to protect Ukrainian cities from Russian aerial attacks.
-29ed98e0f248ee005bb84bfbf7f30adf.jpg)
