Ukraine’s Defence Ministry codifies Skazhenyi interceptor drone: what the developers changed

Ukraine’s Skazhenyi interceptor drone has been codified and approved for use by the Ukrainian Defence Forces. According to the statement, the codified version includes a terminal guidance system, which was not part of the previously presented configuration.

The stated interceptor speed has increased from 310 to 340 km/h. Its maximum operating altitude has also increased to 7,000 m. The flight range is 45 km, with a tactical radius of 25 km.

Skazhenyi uses vertical take-off and landing and can carry a payload of up to 0.5 kg. The state-run Brave1 Market offers variants with digital or analogue cameras, plus thermal imaging or low-light optics. The interceptor uses a radio control link and also supports telemetry.

The drone is not designed to intercept jet-powered Shahed drones, but it can be effective near the line of contact against reconnaissance and strike drones.

At the time of publication, Brave1 Market had not yet updated the price of the drones equipped with the terminal guidance module. Without terminal guidance, the interceptor costs between UAH 43,000 and UAH 104,000, depending on the configuration.

The ‘Skazhenyi’ interceptor was developed by UV Military Cluster in cooperation with the Odesa air defence forces. The company said that the first drones were due to be deployed on combat missions in August, while production capacity could reach up to 5,000 units per month.