Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, announced on Tuesday that his country is testing a new weapon aimed at targeting and destroying drones, and has successfully registered a successful targeting during the night.
Details of the New Weapon Test
Zelensky said in his nightly video: "A new development is being tested. This is a Ukrainian development and has successfully targeted; the 'Shahed' drone was destroyed." These remarks refer to drones designed by Iran that the Ukrainian army has faced during the war.
He also noted that "some technical details still need improvement. We need a little more time. The work of other developers continues." Zelensky's remarks come as Ukrainian military forces reported that they shot down 187 aerial targets during the night.
Ukraine's Anti-Drone Performance
Zelensky also announced that 93 percent of all Russian drones were targeted during the night. He added: "This is a significant number, but naturally, we need to work more." Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has been rapidly developing anti-drone technologies and is now sharing its experiences with other countries, including some Middle Eastern nations facing Iranian attacks.
Ukraine's special focus on developing targeting systems as an efficient and cost-effective method to combat drones comes as the country faces greater challenges in destroying Russian ballistic missiles and has urged its Western allies to increase the supply of targeting systems. Kyiv is also seeking to rapidly develop an air defense system called "Furia," which is being jointly designed by Europe.
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