Ukraine turns its Bars strike drone into a Shahed hunter
Video published online shows Ukraine using an interceptor version of its Bars jet-powered drone to destroy a Russian Geran-5, the first footage of the Ukrainian missile-drone being used against Russia’s own jet-powered attack drones.
The clip, shared by the Ukrainian military, shows the interceptor launched from a ground launcher before it strikes the Geran-5.
The interceptor is based on the Bars strike drone, a small turbojet-powered weapon that Ukraine has used for long-range attacks on Russian targets, including oil refineries. Upgraded strike versions of Bars can reportedly fly at up to 700 km/h (435 mph) and travel up to 1,000 km (620 miles), carrying warheads of 22, 60 or 105 kg (49, 132 or 231 pounds).
The Geran-5 is a Russian jet-powered strike drone that looks and flies more like a small cruise missile than the propeller-driven Shahed-type drones Russia launches in large numbers. It can fly at up to about 600 km/h (370 mph), and at higher altitudes than older models, which makes it hard to catch for the small quadcopter interceptors Ukraine relies on against slower Shaheds.
Russia launched 3,177 jet-powered drones at Ukraine in September alone, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that month that Ukrainian forces were shooting down only 57% of them.
Ukrainian manufacturers have rushed several faster interceptors into service in response. Wild Hornets’ Sting S, SkyFall’s P1-SUN JetKiller and a jet-powered interceptor supplied by the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation have all been shown destroying Geran-5s since late September, and former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Oct. 12 that a new interceptor developed by his team had downed two Geran-5s heading toward Kyiv.
Many of those interceptors were hit by a speed cap that SpaceX placed on Starshield satellite terminals used by Ukrainian forces overnight on Oct. 13-14, which cut connections on drones moving faster than about 160 km/h. A larger, faster jet interceptor such as Bars, launched from the ground against fast targets, could give Ukraine another option for reaching Geran-5s before they reach cities.
In July 2026, Germany and Ukraine signed an agreement on joint production of Bars drones.
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Ukraine's military successfully used an interceptor version of its Bars drone to destroy a Russian Geran-5 drone near Kyiv on October 12, 2023. This marks the first recorded use of the Bars drone against Russian jet-powered drones. The Bars drone can reach speeds of 700 km/h and has been developed in response to the increasing threat from Russian drones.
- Ukraine's Bars drone was used to destroy a Russian Geran-5 drone.
- The Bars drone can reach speeds of up to 700 km/h and has a range of 1,000 km.
- Ukrainian forces shot down 57% of Russian drones in September 2023.
- New interceptors have been developed to counter Russian drone threats.
- Germany and Ukraine signed an agreement for joint production of Bars drones.