One Old MiG Can Take Down 12 Jet-Powered Shaheds in One Flight, Ukrainian Pilot Says

An older MiG fighter can destroy around a dozen jet-powered Shahed-type drones during a single sortie, according to a Ukrainian fighter pilot, highlighting the continued role of crewed combat aircraft in Ukraine’s layered defense against Russian drone attacks.

The pilot, who runs the Ukrainian aviation channel Sonyashnyk, discussed the interception of jet-powered Shaheds in an interview with Waypoint, according to Defense Blog on September 1.

“Financially it’s painful, but that’s our purpose,” the pilot said. “In a single sortie even an old MiG can take out a dozen or so. You have to understand that since there aren’t many other options, you end up relying on skill and experience.”

According to the pilot, using crewed fighters against such drones remains justified despite the comparatively high operating cost. He described countering aerial targets as part of the fighter aircraft’s primary role within Ukraine’s wider air defense network.

“From a fighter’s perspective it makes sense, because that’s literally our specialty: air dominance and working within the air defense system,” he said.

The pilot also described jet-powered Shaheds as relatively suitable targets for fighter aircraft because of their flight characteristics. In some cases, he said, Russian drones operate at altitudes where cheaper interception systems cannot reach them or cannot respond quickly enough.

At the same time, the pilot argued that the main limitations facing Ukraine’s air defense are shortages of funding and interception resources, as well as lengthy procedures that can delay the implementation of new solutions.

“In my opinion, our Achilles heel is funding, both from partners and locally. Many important initiatives and ideas have to pass through a hundred procedural councils before anyone hears them,” he said.

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Russia has also continued adapting its drone operations, including by exploiting gaps near national borders and timing large-scale attacks to coincide with deteriorating weather conditions, according to the pilot.

He said Ukraine should pursue several approaches simultaneously rather than concentrating exclusively on destroying Russian drone launch sites, which can be rebuilt or relocated. These include strikes against launch infrastructure, logistics and production facilities alongside the continued development of an integrated, layered air defense network.

“If we’re given a sufficient quantity of interception means and expand the authority of commanders and leaders on the ground, then with competent coordination everything will be fine,” the pilot said.

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The pilot’s comments come as Russia has sharply increased its use of jet-powered drones against Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces launched nearly 1,500 drones over four days in late August, including around 800 jet-powered UAVs.

Ukraine currently uses combat aircraft among other air defense assets to intercept the high-speed drones. At the same time, four Ukrainian companies are scaling specialized interceptor systems, with developers aiming to achieve an interception rate of up to 90% this fall.

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