Ukraine’s MoD codified Cyclop, the first Ukrainian interceptor drone to down a Shahed over Russia’s Kursk region

Ukraine’s Cyclop interceptor drone has become the first unmanned aircraft to destroy a Russian Shahed directly over Russia’s Kursk Oblast. The announcement came from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, which confirmed the official codification of the unmanned aerial system.

Ministry officials did not disclose details of the interception itself. The ministry stated only that the Cyclop V2 variant has so far destroyed more than 100 aerial targets, including not only Shahed-type drones but also Gerbera, Zala, Orlan, Supercam, Lancet, and Molniya reconnaissance and strike UAVs.

Virtually no public information about the Cyclop had been available until now. The Defence Ministry has not identified the system’s developer, stating only that it was created by a Ukrainian company with extensive experience in manufacturing weapons for modern warfare.

At the same time, open-source information indicates that the Come Back Alive Foundation has been supplying batches of these interceptors to frontline units since at least December 2025. Procurement data show that the Cyclop is available in variants equipped with either a daylight or a thermal imaging camera, with the drone costing approximately UAH 103,000.

According to technical specifications released by the ministry, the drone has a wingspan of just over 1 metre and can remain airborne for nearly 1.5 hours, reaching operating altitudes higher than those of Russian strike and reconnaissance UAVs. The system is produced in several configurations: simpler, more cost-effective versions are intended to engage ground targets or slow, low-flying aerial objects, while more advanced variants are designed to intercept high-speed targets — including Shaheds — at high altitudes.

Ministry representatives noted that the system’s stated operational radius is sufficient to protect any regional capital in Ukraine from enemy drone strikes.

Defender Media previously reported on the new Ukrainian Kestrel interceptor, which reaches speeds of up to 420 km/h and features a modular design.