A foundation released thermal imaging footage showing a drone approaching another unmanned system above clouds. The target's appearance is highly similar to Geran-5; Geran-5 is a Russian one-way attack drone, whose shape and many characteristics are similar to those of cruise missiles.
The camera keeps zooming in on Geran-5, and just as it's about to get close, the image suddenly cuts off – this usually indicates a successful interception, or nearly a successful one.
The foundation stated, "This drone was destroyed while flying at a speed of 425 kilometers per hour at an altitude of over 3 kilometers." This is approximately equivalent to 264 miles per hour, fast enough to cover the length of a football field in less than a second.
The foundation stated that this footage was captured by a team from the 1020th Anti-Aircraft Missile and Artillery Regiment of Ukraine, which is stationed in the Poltava region in central Ukraine.
The unit used a new type of interceptor drone, specifically designed for jet-powered drones, the foundation added.
Ukrainian intelligence agencies stated that Geran-5 is described as the Russian version of Iran's Karrar drone, with a top speed of up to 373 miles per hour, making it the fastest among its one-way attack drones.
Although the interception speed mentioned in this report is 264 miles per hour, which is lower than Geran-5, it still represents a new practical achievement for Ukraine in intercepting drones. The design goal of these drones is to be cheaper and more suitable for mass production.
For example, the fastest speed ever recorded in the history of Formula One racing was achieved by a modified Honda F1 car, which reached 246.9 miles per hour during a land speed record attempt. The speed recorded in this intercept report is also faster than that of Japan's famous Shinkansen trains, which can reach a speed of 200 miles per hour.
Ukrainian officials also reported similar speed achievements at the end of last year, but those were not recorded in actual combat situations.
In December last year, Mykhailo Fedorov, who was then the Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, stated that an interceptor drone reached a speed of 400 kilometers per hour (approximately 248 miles per hour) with the help of a special motor.
Ukraine's interception of drones has attracted attention at the end of 2024 as a means to counter Russian "Shahed" drones, which are typically propeller-driven quadcopters with a bullet-like shape.
However, recently, in order to counter the turbojet-powered "Shahed" drones and attack drones, new designs have also begun to be equipped with jet engines. It is not yet clear which type of engine was used in the interception operation reported on Monday.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense stated that it has conducted field tests on at least four types of interceptor drones, including a winged drone launched using a catapult.
The main manufacturer of interceptor drones, Wild Hornets, has also been releasing videos of its latest interceptor, the Sting-S, chasing jet-powered drones. Last week, the company told Business Insider that the Sting-S is a modified quadcopter interceptor drone.
