Zelensky shows footage of new Ukrainian interceptor drone downing reactive Shaheds
President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly unveiled video of a new Ukrainian turbojet interceptor drone, developed by the SBU's military counterintelligence, that has been successfully used against reactive Russian Shahed-type drones. He said he was briefed by acting SBU head General Oleksandr Poklad on a "good result" of the agency's work and thanked developers working to scale production. Experts noted that mass serial production of such countermeasures has not yet begun.
Key points
- Zelensky publicly showed footage of a new Ukrainian turbojet interceptor in use for the first time.
- The interceptor was developed by the SBU's military counterintelligence under acting head General Oleksandr Poklad.
- The video shows the interception of a modernized "Shahed" — the Geranium-5 — which flies at roughly 600 km/h.
- Russia increased its use of reactive drones fivefold in July; interception rates are roughly 60% for reactive "turbo-Shaheds" vs. roughly 90% for traditional Shaheds, per the Air Force spokesperson.
- Ukraine's Ministry of Defense codified the Alexa Spatium UAV in late August; the Armed Forces received the first reactive drone interceptor on August 21.
- 67 Ukrainian enterprises are working on counter-reactive-drone technologies, but mass serial production has not yet started.
Why it matters
Reactive Russian drones, which travel at several hundred kilometres per hour, are far harder to shoot down than traditional Shaheds. With the current interception rate for reactive drones at roughly 60% compared with 90% for traditional ones, Ukraine urgently needs a dedicated countermeasure. Public footage from the SBU's military counterintelligence suggests several Ukrainian agencies and manufacturers are close to fielding effective interceptors, though mass serial production has not yet started.
What happened
President Zelensky publicly unveiled video of a new Ukrainian turbojet interceptor drone, developed by the SBU's military counterintelligence, that has already been successfully used against reactive Russian Shahed-type drones. Zelensky said he was briefed by acting SBU head General Oleksandr Poklad on a "good result" of the agency's work and thanked the developers and manufacturers working to scale up production. The footage showed the interception of a Geranium-5 modernized Shahed, which flies at approximately 600 km/h. Zelensky had previously announced that 67 Ukrainian enterprises are working on counter-reactive-drone technologies, and earlier in September he reported successful tests of Ukrainian interceptors of Russian reactive drones following briefings from military officials. Experts, including aviation analyst Anatoliy Khrapchynskyi and presidential technology adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov ("Flash"), cautioned that several interceptor variants still need testing and that mass serial production has not yet begun.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All five supplied sources are Ukrainian outlets or agencies and frame the announcement around Zelensky's address, crediting the SBU's military counterintelligence with the breakthrough. Coverage foregrounds the institutional context — Poklad's briefing, the 67 enterprises working on the problem, the late-August codification of the Alexa Spatium interceptor by the Ministry of Defense, and earlier September test milestones — to convey momentum and growing domestic capacity. Ukrainian sources also pair the announcement with expert caveats about testing timelines and the absence of mass serial production, without undercutting the headline message.
Background
In July Russia increased its use of reactive drones fivefold compared with a previous baseline, according to Ukrainian reporting. The Air Force spokesperson said traditional mechanical-engine Shaheds are downed at roughly 90%, while reactive "turbo-Shaheds," including Geran-4 and Geran-5 variants, are downed at roughly 60%. At the end of August the Ministry of Defense codified the Alexa Spatium UAV, described as Ukraine's first reactive drone interceptor, and on August 21 the Armed Forces formally received it. Zelensky said 67 Ukrainian enterprises are working on counter-reactive-drone technologies.