Syrsky: Ukraine Fights Back Shahed Drones with Light Planes
Ukraine has had some success countering Shahed kamikaze drones using light aircraft, according to Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky on Sunday.
There have been isolated reports – some with videos – depicting Ukrainian propeller planes shooting down Russian drones mid-air since at least 2024.
Speaking to reporters at a local press conference, Syrsky described the approach as “promising” and hinted at plans to scale the development to help defend against future drone strikes.
“One of the promising areas of counteraction to the ‘Shaheds’ is the use of light aircraft. We have it, and there are new projects due to financial and material assistance from our foreign partners,” Syrsky said, according to state media Ukrinform.
“This area will develop. We are receiving modern light aircraft that have modern weapons and navigation aids, which will increase the effectiveness of countering Russian strike drones,” he said, adding that Canada is one of the major partners in helping Ukraine develop light aircraft against Russian drones.
“We are scaling this direction. Cooperation with partners, primarily Canadian ones, is organized, which gives us the opportunity to obtain modern surveillance and targeting systems, which increases the combat capabilities of our helicopters,” he added.
Syrsky also said that mobile fire groups – consisting of troops operating heavy machine guns deployed across Ukraine – remain the key weapons against Russian drones.
The Iranian Shahed drones – rebranded as Geran when produced in Russia – have been used extensively by Moscow in its drone campaign against Ukraine.
Costing under $50,000 and with a reported range of up to 2,000 kilometers, Moscow has favored the Shahed drones as a tool to strike cities deep behind the front lines.
Recent reports suggest Shahed drones are now flying at higher altitudes, making them harder for Ukrainian forces to intercept. Drones shot down across Ukraine recently also appear to feature onboard cameras and artificial intelligence (AI), indicating a shift from autonomous navigation to potential remote control, further complicating Kyiv’s attempts at interceptions.
Source: Kyiv Post