Ukrainian-made jet-powered interceptors being developed to counter Russian aerial threats are unlikely to be effective against the new Filin missile and have only a narrow performance margin against the latest Geran drones, according to Ukrainian military expert Bohdan Dolintse.

Speaking on Radio NV, Dolintse identified insufficient speed as a major limitation of the interceptor systems already presented by Ukrainian manufacturers.

He said their maximum speed does not exceed 600–650 kilometers per hour, leaving them with only a minimal speed advantage when attempting to intercept Russian Geran-3, Geran-4 and Geran-5 drones.

According to the analyst, these interceptors may also theoretically be capable of engaging the Bandеrol missile and its counterpart, the Dan-T, under certain conditions.

However, Dolintse argued that the situation is considerably worse when it comes to Russia’s new Filin missile.

He described the Ukrainian interceptor systems as completely ineffective against the Filin, with an extremely low probability of successfully destroying the incoming target.

The expert stressed that these limitations highlight Ukraine’s urgent need to develop an inexpensive surface-to-air missile suitable for mass production.

Dolintse noted that military specialists have been raising this issue for more than a year, yet the development of an affordable, mass-produced Ukrainian air defense missile remains a priority.

He warned that without such a weapon, Ukraine would remain locked in a continuous technological race between increasingly capable Russian aerial weapons and the interceptors designed to defeat them.