Ukrainian Defence Minister outlines UAV interception gains and capability shortfalls

A 2S22 Bohdana self-propelled howitzer seen in Ukraine's Kharkiv region on 10 February 2026. (Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Ukraine's Minister of Defence, Mykhailo Fedorov, has outlined recent developments in its ongoing war against Russia's invasion, highlighting improved interception rates of Russian one-way attack drones, potential expansion of recruitment of foreign personnel, and outstanding challenges for Ukrainian defence capabilities.

Fedorov underscored the requirement for newer-generation 155 mm artillery ammunition, noting that legacy rounds such as the M107 lack sufficient range to operate outside drone-threat “kill zones”. Ukraine, he stated, requires modern munitions capable of reaching “at least 30 km”.

He noted that under what he called Kyiv's “Air–Land–Economy” strategy, designed to counter Russian air and land operations while increasing economic pressure, Ukraine has raised interception rates of Shahed/Geran' unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from 83% to 91%. No further detail was provided on the variants included.

The minister also described restricting Russian access to Starlink as a “game changer”. Personal cooperation with Elon Musk has permitted a whitelist system that geofences Starlink use in and around Ukraine. This prevents use by Russian forces beyond the front line while ensuring all Ukrainian terminals are state-registered, reducing the risk of captured systems being reused and limiting black market activity.

Fedorov added that the conflict should not be approached as a conventional war of attrition, where Ukraine would face strategic disadvantages. Instead, success depends on “asymmetric steps” and maintaining a lead in innovation. Recruitment challenges remain, particularly regarding service duration and pay, although salaries for infantry and assault units have been increased to approximately USD7,000 per month, he said at the RUSI Land Warfare conference in June 2026.