500 km/h on the way to Kyiv: The Russian weapon breaking Ukraine's defense

Russia has increased its use of jet-powered attack drones sixfold, reaching speeds of 500 km/h and leaving Ukraine's air defense system helpless. A test of fast interceptors failed, and commanders admit a tactical failure. Ukraine is recruiting artificial intelligence for frontal interception.

Russia has increased its use of suicide jet-powered attack drones sixfold, from 450 launches in June to a record of about 2,850 in August. The new drones, reaching speeds of up to 500 km/h, leave Ukraine's interceptor network far behind. A field test in July, which recruited developers to test fast interceptors, failed when control systems collapsed at speeds above 400 km/h and many interceptors crashed. Deputy commander of the Third Corps, Maksym Zhorin, admitted that the Russians have created a mass production line for jet-powered Shaheds while Kyiv still does not know how to stop them. According to intelligence estimates, Russian weapons factories produce about 3,000 jet drones per month, with the share of jet drones in some recent attack waves rising above 70% of all munitions. The new drones are equipped with advanced maneuvering capabilities, sensors to detect interceptors, and antennas that make electronic warfare jamming difficult. In the past, Ukraine intercepted about 90% of Shahed swarms using cheap interceptor drones, but now these drones cannot chase jet targets. More than 60 local companies are recruited to develop emergency solutions, with the most promising direction being AI-based frontal interception.