Ukraine has developed low-cost interceptor missiles specifically designed to destroy Russian Shahed attack drones.
Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced this during a briefing with journalists reviewing recent defense developments.
The new interceptor systems are already being tested and are expected to significantly strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.
The Minister noted that the aim of the project is to increase production “by dozens of times” and build up sufficient stockpiles of these missiles for the autumn and winter period.
“We want to scale up and reduce the cost of interceptor missiles to prepare for the emergence of jet-powered Shahed drones,” Fedorov emphasized.
The new interceptor missiles are intended to provide an additional layer of protection for critical infrastructure, working together with existing interceptor drones and other air defense systems.
To accelerate development and production, the government is providing grants to developers, supporting the expansion of manufacturing capacity, and recruiting new engineering and design teams.
Work on low-cost missiles
Last November, Mykhailo Fedorov announced that 18 Ukrainian developers, including teams working on drone-interceptor missiles, had submitted their projects to the Brave1 grant competitions.
According to him, support will be provided to teams capable of developing systems that meet the required technical specifications.
In February 2025, Fedorov stated that one of Ukraine’s main priorities is producing anti-aircraft missiles to defend against massive Russian drone attacks.
“We need inexpensive, small missiles – missiles that can shoot down Shahed drones, as well as affordable missiles capable of intercepting cruise missiles,” he said during the Defense Tech Innovation Forum 2025.
This April, Ukraine presented a new surface-to-air missile, likely intended for use with Soviet-era Osa-AKM air defense systems.
