Russia equips Shaheds with EW systems to counter Ukrainian interceptor drones

Russia has begun fitting Shahed strike drones with onboard electronic warfare systems designed to suppress Ukrainian interceptor drones. This is the latest escalation in the technological arms race shaping the air war over Ukraine in 2026.

The modifications came in response to a sharp rise in Ukraine’s interception rate of Russian loitering munitions — from roughly 85% at the start of the year to 95% in recent engagements. Those figures were cited by the Ukrainian charity Come Back Alive and confirmed by defense ministry officials. Ukraine’s First Deputy Minister of Defense Oleksiy Vyskub acknowledged the growing threat posed by Russia’s drone fleet.

Ukraine’s successes prompt a response

Ukraine’s network of low-cost interceptor drones — some costing around €859 — has become the primary tool for destroying Shaheds in flight. More than 150 Ukrainian companies manufacture interceptor drones, turning what was once a niche weapons category into the fastest-growing element of the country’s air defense system.

Ukrainian Defense Ministry adviser Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov said in mid-May that there were “reasonable grounds to suspect” that some Shaheds are equipped with two types of EW systems: one designed to suppress Ukrainian interceptor drones and another to jam radar stations. He noted that the information was being verified but that the situation was already being monitored.

In late May, Beskrestnov told the Ukrainian outlet UNIAN that Russia would not abandon the use of Shaheds despite their sharply declining effectiveness, but would instead adapt by “installing electronic warfare systems on the drones” and scaling up production of faster jet-powered variants.

Jet drones and a shift in tactics

The EW upgrades are part of a broader Russian response that also includes the deployment of jet-powered drone versions — the Geran-3, Geran-4, and Geran-5 — which fly significantly faster than the standard piston-engine Geran-2. In May, Ukraine’s military intelligence confirmed that Russia had begun combat use of the Geran-4 “as a countermeasure to the effectiveness of our interceptor drones.”

According to Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, Russia plans to produce 60,000 long-range strike drones and 50,000 decoy drones this year, with a goal of making jet-powered variants 50% of total output. The Geran-4 is capable of reaching speeds of up to 500 km/h — nearly twice the cruising speed of a standard Shahed.

Ukraine races to adapt

Ukrainian officials say they are already developing countermeasures. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced that Ukraine is betting on cheap interceptor missiles and high-speed drones capable of exceeding 450 km/h to counter the threat from jet-powered unmanned vehicles. The state innovation platform Brave1 confirmed that developing countermeasures against jet drones is among its top priorities.

Vyskub described this technological standoff as a continuous cycle of adaptation: Ukrainian drones are updated roughly every three months before being sent back into combat — a pace that, he said, most Western defense companies would struggle to match.