Zelensky: Ukraine shoots down 70% of drones overall, but only 57% of reactive Shaheds
In his September 28 evening address, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces intercept about 70% of all drones launched at the country but only 57% of reactive (jet-powered) Shaheds, a rate he called "significantly less than needed." He said new domestically developed interceptor drones are being actively tested and that some combat groups are already using them, with developers being accelerated to improve effectiveness and scale up production. The address came after a day in which Russia launched more than 120 drones at Ukraine, killing nine people and injuring more than 80 across multiple regions.
Key points
- Zelensky said the overall drone interception rate is 70%, including both conventional and reactive Shaheds.
- The interception rate for reactive (jet-powered) drones is 57%, which Zelensky described as significantly less than needed.
- On September 28, Russia launched more than 120 drones during the day, of which about 90 were reactive, according to Zelensky; the Air Force reported 124 strike UAVs, 86 of them reactive.
- Nine people were killed and more than 80 injured across multiple Ukrainian regions on September 28, according to Zelensky.
- A reactive Shahed hit the National Academy of Sciences building in Kyiv's Shevchenkivskyi district, killing Natalia Bukalo, an assistant to former NSDC Secretary Volodymyr Horbulin.
- Other strike sites included a Dobrobut medical clinic in Kyiv (eight injured), a business center in Dnipro (three killed, 18 injured), a 12-story residential building in Odesa (four injured), and a Ukrzaliznytsia enterprise in Zaporizhzhia (more than 30 injured).
- Zelensky said new Ukrainian interceptors designed to counter reactive drones are actively being tested and some combat groups are already using them, but refinement is needed for mass production.
Why it matters
Reactive (jet-powered) drones are far harder to intercept than conventional propeller-driven Shaheds, and Russia is scaling up both their production and use, including a planned $12 billion next year on reactive drones and loitering munitions. With only 57% of reactive drones being shot down, a sizable share is reaching its targets, as illustrated by the September 28 strikes that killed nine and injured more than 80. Ukraine is racing to field domestic interceptor drones to close this gap before reactive drones become an even larger share of Russian attacks.
What happened
In his September 28 evening video address, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces shoot down 70% of all drones launched against the country, but only 57% of reactive (jet-powered) Shaheds, a figure he described as significantly lower than required. He said new Ukrainian interceptors built specifically to counter reactive drones are being actively tested, with some combat groups already using them, and that developers are being accelerated to produce more concrete interception results on a weekly basis.
The address followed a day of heavy Russian strikes. According to Zelensky, Russia launched more than 120 drones during September 28, of which about 90 were reactive. The Air Force of Ukraine reported 124 strike UAVs launched as of 18:30, including 86 reactive drones and types such as Gerbera and "Banderole"/Dan-T, with air defense shooting down or suppressing 86 UAVs (49 of them reactive) and hits recorded in 26 locations. Zelensky said nine people were killed and more than 80 injured across multiple regions.
A reactive Shahed struck the building of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kyiv's Shevchenkivskyi district, killing Nataliia Bukalo, an assistant to former NSDC Secretary Volodymyr Horbulin, and injuring six others. A later fatality was found in the building. Other strike sites included a Dobrobut medical clinic in Kyiv's Holosiivskyi district (eight injured), a business center in Dnipro (three killed, 18 injured), a 12-story residential building in Odesa (four injured), and a Ukrzaliznytsia enterprise in Zaporizhzhia (more than 30 injured). Russia also attacked Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, and one reactive drone reportedly reached the border with Poland.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All reporting comes from Ukrainian outlets and centers Zelensky's evening address, quoting his interception figures directly. Coverage emphasizes the domestic industrial response, noting that 67 Ukrainian enterprises are working on technologies to down reactive drones, several developers have already shown results, and named platforms include Alexa Spatium (in use by the Armed Forces since August) and Zorelit v5 (up to 416 km/h, up to 47 km range). The headline framing in several outlets stresses that the 57% reactive-drone interception rate is "significantly less than needed."
Where reporting differs
Figures for the September 28 drone totals differ between Zelensky's address and the Air Force of Ukraine: Zelensky cited more than 120 drones with about 90 reactive, while the Air Force reported 124 strike UAVs with 86 reactive.
Reactive-drone interception rates also diverge across sources. Zelensky's September 28 figure of 57% is lower than the roughly 60% cited earlier by Air Force communications chief Yuriy Ihnat to the Financial Times. Conventional gasoline-engine drones are reportedly intercepted at 90-95%.
Background
Russia is increasing its use of reactive (jet-powered) Shahed-type drones against Ukraine. Zelensky said on September 26 that Russia plans to spend $12 billion next year on reactive drones and loitering munitions alone. During September, Russia launched more than 2,730 reactive Shaheds at Ukraine, of which more than 1,500 were shot down or suppressed.
Ukraine is pursuing multiple domestic interceptor-drone efforts. According to Zelensky, 67 Ukrainian enterprises are working on technologies to intercept reactive drones, and several developers have already shown results. Zelensky demonstrated new interceptors shooting down Russian reactive drones, including the Geran-5, on September 19, and on September 23 reported successful combat testing of four new reactive-Shahed interceptors, though they are not yet being mass-produced. Specific platforms include Alexa Spatium, which the Armed Forces began using in August, and the recently presented Zorelit v5 (up to 416 km/h, up to 47 km range). Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov said Ukraine could begin mass combat use of domestically produced drone interceptors within the next few months, with samples already being tested at the front and successfully downing Russian drones.