Ukrainian military chief: Russia upgrades "Shahed" drones with advanced defences

In a recent interview with RBC-Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, revealed that Russia is continuously enhancing its drone capabilities, particularly the Iranian-made "Shahed" drones. These upgrades include sophisticated protection systems designed to resist interception and incorporate self-destruction mechanisms.

General Syrskyi emphasised that modern warfare increasingly revolves around technological competition. As Ukraine develops drones capable of intercepting enemy devices, Russia responds by making its drones more resilient against electronic warfare tactics, Caliber.Az reports per the interview. 

According to Syrskyi, the latest "Shahed" drones are now equipped with optical guidance systems for improved targeting precision and feature between 12 to 16 channel antennas, which significantly enhance their resistance to electronic jamming.

In addition, these drones have sensors that enable them to evade incoming fire and avoid collisions by performing unpredictable maneuvers, making them much harder to detect and destroy on the battlefield.

The commander also warned that nearly all long-range drones deployed by Russia, including the "Gerbera" models used as decoys, carry explosives designed for self-destruction.

This measure prevents the capture of intact drones and poses a serious danger to anyone approaching fallen devices.

"You have to be very careful: when such a drone has fallen, it can explode," Syrskyi cautioned.

Highlighting the intensity of the conflict, General Syrskyi noted that Ukrainian forces have destroyed over 3,200 enemy "Shahed" drones within just one year, many of them shot down from helicopters.

By Sabina Mammadli