#interceptor-drones

#interceptor-drones

Mykhailo Fedorov said on Tuesday that Kyiv had rolled out a program inviting defense companies to test their small interceptor drones in Ukraine, paying them $20,000 for each Shahed drone their product destroyed. "At the time, no one believed in it," Fedorov said at a press briefing. "But now, by this month, 40,000 interceptors are expected to be delivered to the military."

Wild Hornets, a defense-tech firm making drones for the Ukrainian military, said that the Darknode battalion of Kyiv's 412th Nemesis Brigade used its "Sting" interceptor drone to shoot down a Russian Shahed carrying a Soviet-era air-to-air missile. Alex Roslin, the foreign support coordinator for Wild Hornets, told Business Insider that the recent engagement marks the first time a Sting interceptor has taken down a Shahed-type drone carrying an air-to-air missile.

Russia has been adding rear-view cameras to some of its Shahed-type drones, allowing operators to see Ukrainian interceptors approaching from behind and take evasive action, a senior defense official told Business Insider. Lt. Col. Yurii Myronenko, Ukraine's deputy minister of defense for innovation, said Russia is "constantly testing" new deep-strike weapons, including modifying its Shahed-type drones and fielding new models. "Some Shaheds have already been equipped with rear-view cameras to detect and respond to our interceptors," said Myronenko, a former drone unit commander.

John Healey gave a speech during the Lord Mayor London's Defence Lecture at Mansion House, he said that Ukraine considers the UK as their "closest ally." Healey added, "This is why Putin ranks Britain as his number one enemy." Donald Trump is pressuring Volodymyr Zelensky to give up Ukrainian land to end the war, but the Ukrainian President hit back saying he will never giver "terrorists" a "reward for their crimes," adding, "We count on out partners to support this position."