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First Post
41 minutes ago
- First Post
Why Ukraine is betting big on its interceptor drones in war against Russia
Though Russia has used drones to hit Ukraine since the beginning of the war, Moscow has taken things to a different level recently. Russia in July alone launched over 6,000 drone strikes across Ukraine including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, and Lviv leaving dozens dead and hundreds injured. read more The Ukraine war in a new phase. Though Russia has used drones to hit Ukraine since the beginning of the war, Moscow has taken things to a different level. Russia in July launched over 6,000 drone strikes across Ukraine including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, and Lviv leaving dozens dead and hundreds injured. That's the most in any month since the beginning of the war in 2022. On July 9 alone Russia launched over 700 strikes against Ukraine using its Iranian-made Shahed drones. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ukraine is now attempting to combat Russia's attacks via interceptor drones. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last month urged companies in Ukraine to boost manufacturing and production of these drones. 'I met with representatives of this production and with other manufacturers. Our request is 1,000 interceptors per day,' Zelenskyy said. But what do we know about interceptor drones? How do they work? Why are they so important to Ukraine? Let's take a closer look Interceptor drones and how they work First, let's take a closer look at interceptor drones. While drones are Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs), interceptor drones are UAVs built to find, follow and destroy other drones and airborne threats. These drones are built to actively engage with threats. They work autonomously or semi-autonomously. They come with features such as advanced sensing, autonomous navigation capabilities in order to maneuver at high speeds, recognising targets automatically and precision hovering. They are also equipped with net launchers, electronic jammers, and kamikaze-style impactors. They use advanced navigation tech like AI-powered inertial navigation systems. They work by using their radar, spotters or sensors to spot incoming threats. Some are synced up with a country's air defence network. This allows them to respond to threats in real time – at a fraction of the cost of missile systems or ground-based radar systems. Once they intercept enemy UAVs, they can either ram into them – known as the Kamikaze method – use nets and even explosives to down the enemy's object. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD These interceptor drones are smaller than other UAVs and faster – which allows them to intercept – as well as highly manouverable. For example, experts say the Shahed drones Russia is using can fly between 200 and 300 kilometres per hour. They are also more effective when they are autonomous. As Lyuba Shipovich, CEO of Dignitas, which helps train Ukrainian soldiers on interceptors, told The Interpreter, 'You can't expect to have 700 operators for 700 drones during a mass strike like the ones we're seeing now. AI allows us to launch swarms of interceptor drones without that limitation.' Though they are more expensive than regular drones, they do not cost nearly as much as other defensive systems. Anti-aircraft missiles, for example, can cost as much as $1 million (Rs 8.5 crore), while surface-to-air missiles can cost between $40,000 (Rs 34.98 lakh) and $100,000 ( Rs 87.44 lakh) A single interceptor drone can cost as little as $5,000 (Rs 4.39 lakh). Kamikaze interceptor drones are even cheaper, costing as little as $200 (Rs 20,000) to $2000 (Rs 2.20 lakh). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For Ukraine's armed forces that's a downright bargain. Why are they important to Ukraine Because interceptor drones can combat Russia's Shahed drones, which have become a menace in Ukraine. The Russian strategy has been to overwhelm Ukraine and demoralise its defenders through sheer numbers. In July, Russia sent 6,297 long-range drones into Ukraine. That figure is 14 times what it was in July 2024, when Russia sent around 400 drones. From June 1 to June 20, Russia hit Ukraine with 3,681 Shahed drones and fake UAVs. This completely disrupted the rhythm of Ukraine's defenders. A year ago, the monthly average was at around 600 UAVs per month. Experts say these are estimates and that real numbers may even be higher. Worse, Russia is ramping up its production of Shahed drones to nearly 100 UAVs per day. They now fly two to four kilometres above the ground – putting them out of reach of ground fire. Kyiv predicts Moscow will be looking to manufacture 30,000 long-range drones and two million FPV (first-person-view) drones this entire year. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last month urged companies in Ukraine to boost manufacturing and production of these drones. AP Which is why Ukraine is betting big on interceptor drones. Indeed, Zelenskyy even said the same at the G7 in Canada in June. 'In particular, we are working on interceptor drones to enhance protection against Shaheds', Zelenskyy said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Many Ukrainian companies are already working on this task. Wild Hornets, a non-profit group making UAVs for Ukraine, has had great success with its Sting interceptor drone against the Shahed drones. 'You can make a drone, for example, at a firm like us, fast, cheap, and en masse,' a company representative told the Kyiv Independent. 'While missiles for an S-300 are unique technologies, that maybe, seems to me, a few companies in the world can make, and more than half of those are in Russia.' Even though Ukraine has been the world's largest importer of weapons from 2020 to 2024 and is buying millions of drones, experts say it isn't doing enough. They say it needs to ramp up production even further to counter Russia. 'Russia is going to bomb our entire country with Shahed drones. They have significantly increased production and will continue to do so. If we don't act immediately, our infrastructure, our production and our defence systems will be destroyed', military and communications expert Serhiy Beskrestnov wrote on social media. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, it is important to note that these interceptor drones are no silver bullet. 'We're already using them, and we are expanding their use. But they can't replace everything. We have to understand that anti-drone air defence is a complex system,' Yuriy Ignat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian air force, told The Telegraph. 'First, they don't have a very long range – only a few dozen kilometres. Secondly, you need to scale up the depth of territory they cover. They only work locally. And they can't always fly, in bad weather, fog, and so on.' Simply put, they are an important piece of Ukraine's defence puzzle.
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First Post
4 hours ago
- First Post
Iran blames US for military aggression, demands compensation in talks
Tehran ruled out direct talks with Washington, accusing it of military aggression alongside Israel during a recent 12-day conflict that derailed nuclear discussions. read more Iran said Monday that any future negotiations would hold the United States responsible for attacks on its nuclear installations, but that direct talks with Washington were out of the question. On June 22, the United States briefly joined Israel's battle against Iran, which had stalled discussions on Tehran's nuclear program. 'In any potential negotiation… the issue of holding the United States accountable and demanding compensation for committing military aggression against Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities will be one of the topics on the agenda,' foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a press briefing on Monday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Asked whether Iran would engage in direct talks with the United States, Baqaei said: 'No.' During the course of the 12-day battle, Israel began an unprecedented onslaught in mid-June that targeted Iranian military and nuclear installations while also striking civilian areas. US troops joined the attack by attacking nuclear facilities in Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz. The fighting halted negotiations that had begun in April and were the highest-level communication between Tehran and Washington since the US abandoned a major nuclear agreement with Iran in 2018. Following the battle, Tehran stopped cooperation with the UN nuclear inspectors and wanted assurances against military action before restarting discussions. Washington has slammed Tehran's demand for compensation as 'ridiculous'. Baqaei said on Monday that Iran was committed to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, but criticised what he described as the 'politicised and unprofessional approach' of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The foreign ministry spokesman said that the IAEA's deputy chief is expected in Iran 'in less than 10 days'. Last month, Iran said future cooperation with the UN agency would take on a 'new form'. On July 25, Iranian diplomats met with counterparts from Germany, Britain and France, in the first meeting since the war with Israel ended. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The three European powers are parties to the 2015 nuclear deal, which unravelled after the US withdrew during Trump's first term. In recent weeks, the trio has threatened to trigger sanctions if Tehran failed to agree a deal on uranium enrichment and cooperation with UN inspectors. Iran has repeatedly called reimposing sanctions 'illegal' and insisted on its right to enrich uranium. Israel and Western nations accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran has consistently denied.
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Business Standard
8 hours ago
- Business Standard
Iran founds new Supreme National Defence Council after attacks by Israel
Iran's decision follows a 12-day air war by Israel and the US that led to the deaths of nearly 1,100 people including military chiefs and commanders AP Tehran Iran founded a new defence council after attacks in June by Israel and the US, Iranian state media reported Monday. Iran's Supreme National Security Council, the country's highest security body, made the decision to establish the Supreme National Defence Council, which will be headed by President Masoud Pezeshkian, the report said. The council will handle defensive plans and improve the capabilities of Iran's armed forces. Members will include the speaker of Parliament, the head of the judiciary and the chiefs of military branches and related ministries, the report said. The defence, intelligence and foreign ministries are expected to be council members, although the report did not provide those details. Iran's decision follows a 12-day air war by Israel and the US that led to the deaths of nearly 1,100 people including military chiefs and commanders. A ceasefire has been in force since shortly after the airstrikes targeted Iran's major nuclear facilities. Iran had a similar council during the 1980s war between Iran and Iraq that left nearly 1 million casualties on both sides.
