Western media have reported problems during recent anti-drone trials in Ukraine. Reuters said that a large group of manufacturers arrived in the country in early July 2026 to test a new generation of interceptor drones designed to counter jet-powered UAVs used by Russian forces. The trials, however, did not go as planned.

Sources told the agency that many of the aircraft proved difficult to operate. Some interceptors were capable of speeds above 400 km/h, making them hard for operators to control. As a result, several drones crashed in nearby forests and fields.

Yury Cherevashenko, deputy commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, acknowledged that developing high-speed interceptor drones involves serious technical challenges.

Kiev also faces growing pressure from the increased use of Russian jet-powered UAVs. According to Ukrainian military data cited by Reuters, their deployment rose sixfold over the three summer months. Ukrainian forces also acknowledge that the country significantly trails Russia in the jet-drone segment.

Until recently, Ukrainian forces were able to divert some Russian drones from their course by feeding them false GPS coordinates. Many Russian jet-powered UAVs have since been equipped with modern 16-channel antennas, making them more resistant to jamming and signal disruption.