Ukraine downs Shahed with interceptor drone from surface platform for first time
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Russian Shahed UAV moments before being hit by Ukrainian interceptor drone (Photo: Video screenshot / Unmanned Systems Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces / Telegram)
Ukrainian forces said they shot down a Russian Shahed drone for the first time using an interceptor drone launched from a surface platform, the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on Apr. 19.
It said the interception of the enemy attack drone was carried out by operators of a division of unmanned surface systems within the 412th Nemesis Brigade.
“This marks a new level of integration between maritime and aerial unmanned capabilities,” the Unmanned Systems Forces said.
They also emphasized that the use of surface carriers to deploy interceptor drones expands capabilities to counter aerial threats and creates an additional layer of protection for Ukrainian cities.
In March, Ihor Fedirko, executive director of the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry, said on Radio NV that production of Ukrainian interceptor drones currently exceeds the needs of the Defense Forces by two to three times.
“Specifically regarding interceptors, Ukraine’s security and defense forces can clearly understand how many are needed in the near term, as we understand the enemy’s production capacity for systems such as Shahed and the scale of their attacks in recent years. We study all of this, collect data and determine how many we need,” Fedirko said in an interview with Radio NV.
He also said that as of January 2026, Ukrainian arms manufacturers were producing 80% to 90% of the interceptor drones needed by the Defense Forces, but output has significantly increased over the past two months.
On April 17, drone manufacturer Wild Hornets said it had set a new record for the control range of its Sting interceptor drone.
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