Zelenskyy unveils new interceptor drone for jet-powered Shahed drones – video

What Happened

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on X (Twitter) that the military counterintelligence unit of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has developed a new interceptor drone to counter jet-powered Shahed-type drones and has already used it successfully. Zelenskyy released a video showing the interceptor in action, following a report from SSU acting head Oleksandr Poklad. He said the drone was created by SSU military counterintelligence and that Ukraine is working to scale up the necessary weaponry. The claims are attributed to Zelenskyy; the video appeared to show the drone but no independent verification of combat success was provided in the article. Separately, Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, Zelenskyy's adviser on defence technology development, accused former commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi and the leadership of the electronic warfare directorate of failing for a year to carry out systematic work to counter Russian drones using MESH communication.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The development of a Ukrainian interceptor drone tailored to jet-powered Shahed-type drones addresses a specific Russian strike threat that has targeted Ukrainian infrastructure and cities. If the system works at scale, it could reduce reliance on expensive air-defence missiles and help Ukraine defend against Russia's long-range one-way attack drones, which are a central element of Moscow's aerial campaign.

Watch For

Look for further official Ukrainian announcements or combat footage quantifying the interceptor's success rate, production numbers, and deployment locations. Also watch whether the SSU or Ministry of Defence publishes more technical details, and whether Russia adapts Shahed drone tactics or countermeasures in response. Any follow-up on Beskrestnov's accusations against Syrskyi and the electronic warfare directorate could signal internal accountability disputes within Ukraine's defence establishment.