Ukraine’s Fedorov Unveils New Interceptor for Russia’s Fastest Drones

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s former defense minister, has introduced a new interceptor drone designed to take down Russia’s fastest attack drones. The aircraft is currently flown by a human pilot, but Fedorov told Business Insider he wants to make it autonomous in flight by integrating artificial intelligence. He aims to produce hundreds of interceptors a month by the end of the year.

Ukraine is increasingly turning to AI-enabled autonomous drones and robots that can keep operating when electronic warfare cuts links between systems and operators. The new interceptor reflects a broader shift toward systems that can fly with less human input. For Ukraine, that could matter as faster Russian drones put more pressure on air defenses.

Ukrainian defense firms have developed several interceptors to engage Russia’s Geran-5, a mini turbojet-powered drone that can reach speeds of up to 375 mph. Business Insider reported that Fedorov’s interceptor was used by a specialized National Guard unit in recent combat tests over Kyiv to take down two Geran-5 drones. The interceptor’s own speed remains unclear, and Fedorov said testing is ongoing.

Fedorov said the next steps are improving the technology and scaling production, describing the interceptor as a low-cost, mass-producible solution. The push comes as Russia’s use of jet-powered drones has increased, with Ukraine’s air force saying launches rose from 350 in June to 2,800 in August. Officials said Ukraine typically intercepted more than 90% of propeller-powered drones, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv shot down 55% of Russia’s jet-powered drones in late September.