Zelenskyy announced that work is underway on defenses against jet-powered drones
Ukraine is already working to more effectively shoot down Russian jet-powered “Shaheds.” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that it will take time to create a reliable defense system, but work on a solution is already underway.
Russia has begun to make more active use of a new version of attack drones—jet-powered “Shaheds.” They have a higher speed than conventional drones of this type, making them more difficult to detect and intercept in time. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed this issue following talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. According to him, Ukraine is already working to strengthen its defenses against this threat.
Zelenskyy noted that a quick response should not be expected. It takes time to develop effective countermeasures. “It takes time,” the president said, commenting on efforts to defend against Russian jet-powered drones. At the same time, he emphasized that Ukraine is not putting this issue on the back burner. Work on the necessary solutions is already underway.
Why Jet-Powered Drones Have Become a Problem
Jet-powered “suicide drones” differ from conventional attack drones primarily in their speed. Because of this, Ukraine’s air defense has less time to react after detecting a target. This is particularly important during massive attacks, when dozens or even hundreds of drones of various types are flying simultaneously. Air defense forces must not only detect the target but also determine its flight path and deploy countermeasures in a timely manner.
On the night of September 10, Russia launched 149 attack drones of various types at Ukraine. According to the Air Force, about half of the Shahed drones used were jet-powered. The Ukrainian military reported that 128 enemy UAVs were destroyed or neutralized. The air attack that night demonstrated once again that jet-powered drones have become a regular feature of Russian strikes.
Ukraine Is Already Developing Interceptors
Ukraine began taking the first concrete steps to combat this new threat even before the president’s latest statement. On September 3, Zelenskyy held a meeting of the High Command, where they specifically discussed accelerating the production of high-speed interceptors for jet-powered “Shaheds.” According to the president, there are already manufacturers in Ukraine capable of carrying out this task. Certain prototypes of the interceptors have already been developed, and work is now underway to bring them up to the required level of effectiveness.
“There are manufacturers in Ukraine capable of carrying out this task. Prototypes have been developed, and work is underway to bring this new weapon up to the required level of effectiveness,” Zelenskyy stated. The plan involves creating high-speed interceptor drones capable of engaging enemy drones in the air. This approach is intended to complement existing air defense systems.
Focus on More Affordable Interception Systems
Separately, the High Command discussed involving Ukrainian businesses in the production of air defense systems. The president emphasized that Ukraine needs a sufficient number of high-speed interceptors and inexpensive missiles. This is important given the scale of Russia’s production of attack drones.
If the enemy launches a large number of drones, using expensive air defense missiles against each one is not always cost-effective. Therefore, Ukraine is seeking solutions that will allow it to shoot down such targets quickly, in large numbers, and at a lower cost. “The main goal is to bring our defense industry and cooperation with partners to a level that will provide Ukraine with a sufficient number of high-quality, high-speed interceptor drones and affordable missiles,” Zelenskyy emphasized.
Russia Is Increasing Its Use of Jet-Powered “Shaheds”
Jet-powered drones have become a prominent feature of Russian attacks on Ukraine. On the night of September 10, the Air Force reported that approximately half of the Shahed drones launched were jet-powered. During that attack, reports of jet-powered UAVs were received from various regions. In particular, such drones were detected on the outskirts of Kyiv and in other parts of the country.
For Ukraine, this means the need to quickly adapt its defense system. It is necessary not only to increase the number of air defense systems but also to develop technologies capable of effectively countering high-speed targets. Therefore, work on interceptors has become a key focus of the Ukrainian defense industry.
Ukraine Seeks a Response to Russia’s New Tactics
Russia is constantly changing how it uses drones and is trying to complicate the work of Ukraine’s air defense. Jet-powered “Shaheds” are one such solution. Ukraine, for its part, is striving not only to respond to existing threats but also to proactively develop capabilities to counter new types of weapons. According to Zelenskyy, this will take time, but work is already underway. Prototypes of the interceptors exist, and Ukrainian manufacturers have been tasked with accelerating their development and production.
Thus, this is not simply a matter of increasing the number of existing air defense systems. Ukraine is preparing a specific response to high-speed Russian drones, which have become a new challenge for the defense of Ukrainian cities. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this following talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
As of the morning of September 10, 2026, the Russian army’s total personnel losses since the start of the full-scale invasion amount to approximately 1,502,390 soldiers. In the past 24 hours alone, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia lost another 1,520 soldiers.
The day before, 221 combat engagements were recorded on the front lines. The enemy launched the most attacks in the Pokrovsk direction, where the Defense Forces repelled 21 assaults, and Russian troops lost more than 60 occupiers.
