Ukraine has revealed a new interceptor built to obtain downward Russia's latest jet-powered drones, and it features a scheme that loosely resembles the Shaheds that Moscow uses extensively in the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted footage of the interceptor on Saturday, saying it was "successfully deployed" in an procedure by the Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU.
Video shows a delta-wing drone being launched from a barrier catapult and whizzing complete open fields. The uncrewed conveyance appears to have an exhaust outlet on its chassis, indicating it uses a turbojet motor to attain higher speeds.
The delta-wing form and turbojet are a departure from the bullet-shaped quadcopters that have dominated Ukrainian interceptor designs — a sign of how Kyiv is looking to solutions additional afield to agreement alongside newer Russian drones.
Thermal footage apparently captured by its camera shows the interceptor approaching a winged drone alongside a warmth signature on its tail, indicating that the mark is additionally propelled by a turbojet.
Report from SSU Head Oleksandr Poklad. There is a fine outcome from the Security Service’s armed forces counterintelligence in defending against jet-powered “shaheds.” A new interceptor drone has been developed and has already been successfully deployed. Step by step, we are moving… pic.twitter.com/cIFp7mThwf
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 19, 2026
The SBU identified the drone as a Geran-5, one of Russia's most advanced assault drones that Ukrainian intellect stated can fly at speeds of up to 373 mph alongside a 200-pound bomb warhead.
On Sunday, it posted a clip of a distinct takedown, saying it had successfully used the interceptor to demolish a second Geran-5.
Zelenskyy stated the new Ukrainian interceptor is designed for defending against "jet-powered 'Shaheds.'"
The Geran-5 isn't modeled following the Shahed, the Iranian delta-wing drone, and is alternatively idea to be Russia's type of the Karrar assault drone. But "Shahed" has arrive to be a colloquial covering term for any Russian long-range loitering munition according to Iranian designs, since Moscow most commonly uses Shahed-type drones to assault Ukraine.
These drones have lengthy been a chief danger to Ukraine, bombarding its cities and slaying hundreds of civilians. Kyiv has emphasized its urgent need for an affordable, mass-producible way to oppose these munitions, foremost to the increase of interceptor drones.
These were initially small quadcopters tricked out to fly at speeds of up to 175 mph. But Russia's expanding use of drones alongside mighty jet engines to fly much faster, specified as the Geran-5, has forced Kyiv to appearance for another solutions.
In August, Zelenskyy stated authorities were operating alongside four companies designing interceptor drones to oppose jet-powered Gerans.
That month, Ukraine's defence ministry unveiled the Alexa Spatium, a turbojet, winged interceptor drone.
The local interceptor and drone manufacturer Wild Hornets stated on Saturday that its Sting S interceptor, deployed by the 1020th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment, had successfully destroyed a Geran-5.
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Matthew is a elder newsman at Business Insider's Singapore bureau. He covers the defence industry, armed forces technology, and evolving strategies in Ukraine, the US, and the Asia-Pacific region.He joined the squad in June 2021, earlier focusing on net infringement and labor, examining how these issues effect contemporary community in Asia, alongside a particular accent on China.Matthew's former activity has been featured in the South China Morning Post, as fine as Singaporean news companies TODAY and The Business Times.
