Ukraine has used artificial intelligence-enabled robotic gun turrets to shoot down Russia’s fastest attack drones for the first time, a senior Air Force official confirmed on Monday.
Yurii Inhat, a Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson, said automated gun turrets have intercepted Russian jet-powered drones, including the Geran-5 — a significant development for Kyiv as it struggles to defend against Russia’s high-speed weapons.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that more than a dozen turrets were installed around Kyiv, with another eight planned for deployment across the wider region, to counter the rise in Russia’s jet-powered drones.
Inhat described the turrets as “innovative technologies” that rely on AI and machine vision to enable the interception. Speaking during a national telethon, he said the guns have a limited range, Ukrainian media reported.
At least some of the turrets will be installed on Kyiv’s bridges, which Russian forces have targeted multiple times with drones over the past week amid a broader escalation of attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure.
Ukraine has not disclosed the specific type of turret deployed. The system does, however, feature a .50-caliber machine gun, Zelenskyy revealed, a typical weapon used by mobile air defense units.
AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka
Last year, Ukraine confirmed the deployment of the Sky Sentinel, an AI-powered turret capable of shooting down Russian attack drones.
Russia is increasingly using drones powered by mini turbojet engines to attack Ukraine; Kyiv said Moscow launched 2,800 in August compared to 350 in June. The Geran-5, the newest and fastest of the models in service, can reach speeds of up to 375 mph.
The uptick in jet-powered drones over the past few months has presented a significant challenge for Ukrainian air defenses. Inhat said on Monday that the interception rate for these drones is 50% to 70%, compared to over 85% for older, slower propeller-powered models like the Geran-2.
The new turret deployment reflects Ukraine’s efforts to bolster its air defenses in response to the growing threat of jet-powered drones.
Ukrainian defense companies are also upgrading the speed of their interceptor drones. Some next-generation models have already shot down jet-powered drones, including the Geran-5,
The “Bars” long-range drone has the highest success rate among the Ukrainian interceptors with a 30% shoot-down rate, Zelenskyy said over the weekend. “Others are catching up as well.”