Ukraine's drone hunters: invisible war against Russian Shaheds

Ukraine's air defence drone teams use cheap explosive-laden drones to destroy Russian Shahed attack drones. This represents an increasingly important form of unconventional warfare in Ukraine.

Every night in Ukraine, an invisible battle unfolds in the skies – local drone hunters fight against Russian Shahed attack drones, using inexpensive but effective counter-drones equipped with explosives.

The tactics of Ukraine's air defence drone units are simple but effective: small and highly manoeuvrable counter-drones fly towards Russian Shaheds and detonate near them, destroying the attack drone before it reaches its target. This method is significantly cheaper than traditional air defence missiles.

Shahed drones, supplied to Russia by Iran and used by Russian forces to attack Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, have proven to be a serious problem. These drones are inexpensive to produce and are deployed en masse, making traditional air defence economically inefficient – shooting down a single Shahed with a missile can cost dozens of times more than the drone itself.

Ukraine's drone hunters operate in a distributed manner across the country, positioned at strategic locations from which they can detect and attack approaching Shahed formations. The teams work in close coordination with sensor systems and other air defence units, forming a multi-layered defence network.

This cheap and innovative air defence drone tactic has become an example of how Ukraine has adapted its defence strategy to counter Russian mass drone attacks. Experts note that this approach may provide lessons for other countries, including NATO members, who are developing their own air defence solutions.