Ukraine Scrambles to Stop Russia’s Faster Jet-Powered Drones as Defences Struggle

KYIV/LONDON — Ukraine is racing to develop new weapons to counter a rapidly growing Russian threat: jet-powered attack drones that are faster, harder to intercept and being deployed in increasingly large numbers.

A test of new Ukrainian interceptor drones in early July exposed some of the difficulties facing Kyiv. According to two sources familiar with the exercise, several interceptor drones were difficult to control at speeds exceeding 400 kilometres per hour, with some crashing into fields and forests.

The test highlighted the challenge Ukraine faces as it prepares for another winter of war while also dealing with shortages of Western air-defence systems capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.

Russia has sharply increased its use of jet-powered drones in recent months. Ukrainian military data reviewed by Reuters showed that Russia launched about 450 drones travelling between 240 and 500 kilometres per hour in June. By August, the number had risen to approximately 2,850.

Ukraine’s defence intelligence estimates that Russia is now producing around 3,000 jet-powered drones each month. 

Russia Speeds Up Its Drone Warfare

Russia began using large numbers of relatively slow, propeller-driven Shahed-type drones after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Ukraine gradually developed effective methods of intercepting them, with officials saying interception rates eventually reached around 90%.

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Moscow has responded by developing faster versions.

The newer jet-powered drones can travel at roughly 240 to 500 kilometres per hour, compared with less than 200 kilometres per hour for many of the older piston-powered Shahed-type drones.

Their speed and ability to change direction and altitude make them considerably more difficult to destroy.

Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and the surrounding region have been among the areas most heavily targeted, while Odesa has also faced repeated attacks.

Yuriy Cherevashenko, a deputy commander of Ukraine’s air force, told Reuters that in some recent attacks, jet-powered drones have accounted for more than 70% of the weapons used.

Ukraine’s Interceptors Struggle

Ukraine has built a large network of interceptor-drone crews to combat Russian attacks. More than 1,000 trained crews are already operating, while companies are developing faster interceptor drones, including some powered by jets themselves.

But the technological race is proving difficult.

Existing interceptor drones were designed mainly to pursue slower targets. Against jet-powered drones, they can struggle to catch up.

Borys Dolyna, a commander of an interceptor-drone company, said some jet-powered drones can sometimes be hit when they slow down to manoeuvre.

However, Russia is also improving the technology aboard its drones, including systems designed to detect approaching objects and accelerate automatically.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said more than 60 Ukrainian companies are working on solutions to intercept jet-powered drones, although only a small number have so far demonstrated effective systems. 

A New Air-Defence Race

Ukraine is now pursuing several approaches simultaneously.

One involves developing cheaper guided missiles capable of destroying drones without relying on expensive Western air-defence missiles that were primarily designed for other threats.

Some of these new weapons are already undergoing testing, according to Cherevashenko.

Ukraine is also exploring artificial intelligence and automated guidance systems that could allow interceptor drones to attack incoming targets head-on rather than attempting to chase them from behind.

Such a method could dramatically improve the chances of intercepting faster drones.

Cherevashenko said successful head-on interceptions had already been carried out using automated guidance software and manually controlled drones, although the technology still requires further development before it can be deployed on a large scale.

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Electronic Warfare Faces New Challenges

Ukraine has previously used electronic warfare to interfere with Russian drones by feeding them false GPS information and diverting them away from their intended targets.

But newer Russian drones are reportedly equipped with advanced 16-channel antenna systems that make them more resistant to jamming.

Ukrainian defence experts say this means no single technology is likely to solve the problem.

Instead, they are looking at networked systems in which multiple technologies work together to disrupt navigation and guide incoming drones away from populated areas.

The Growing Pressure on Ukrainian Air Defences

Ukraine’s difficulties come at a time when Russia continues to use ballistic missiles and large numbers of drones against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Western air-defence missiles remain limited and expensive, creating pressure on Kyiv to develop cheaper alternatives that can be produced in large quantities.

For now, Ukrainian military aircraft are also being used to intercept some of the faster drones because they are capable of keeping pace with them.

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But dwindling supplies of air-to-air missiles are forcing pilots in some cases to rely on cannons, a dangerous tactic that carries the risk of aircraft collisions with drone debris.

The battle between Russian drones and Ukrainian air defences is becoming another technological race within the wider war.

Russia is increasing the speed, numbers and sophistication of its drones, while Ukraine is attempting to develop cheaper and faster ways to stop them before they reach their targets.

Experts say Ukraine will eventually develop effective countermeasures, but for now, Russia’s jet-powered drones have gained an important advantage in the race between attack and defence. 

Source: Reuters, September 15, 2026