Ukraine Intercepts 74% of Russian Jet Drones Amid Starshield Slowdown, ISW Reports

Ukraine’s air force intercepted 74% of Russian jet-powered Shahed drones between Oct. 14 and Oct. 24, a slight decline from its usual 77% success rate, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said. The figure is based on data released by Ukraine’s air force, which reported that Russia launched hundreds of the turbojet attack drones during the ten-day period when Starshield, the military version of Starlink used by interceptor drones, operated at reduced speed.

The drop of three percentage points, ISW analysts noted, still represents a relatively high interception rate but does not eliminate the threat. Ukrainian fighter jets, including F-16s, accounted for many of the successful engagements, using air-to-air missiles or onboard guns.

"We are counting on the aviation component," Colonel Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s air force, told RBC Ukraine, referring to helicopters and fighter jets.

Ihnat previously said an F-16 could down ten Shaheds in a single night. Kyiv recently ordered more than 50,000 20 mm rounds for the aircraft’s M61A1 Vulcan cannon, enough for roughly 100 sorties.

ISW cautioned that relying on gunfire from F-16s poses challenges, including higher pilot skill requirements, increased wear on airframes, and greater maintenance demands, which could limit the jets’ availability for other missions. The analysts added that expanding the use of interceptor drones offers Ukraine its best prospect for maintaining a robust air-defense umbrella over the long term.

Before Russia increased its use of turbojet-powered drones, Ukraine reported interception rates above 90% against propeller-driven Shaheds, a success attributed to widespread deployment of low-cost interceptor drones. The newer, faster jet-powered drones, capable of speeds up to 370 mph, require further development of counter-drone technologies.

During the Starshield slowdown, many of the new interceptors became ineffective when a drone exceeded 100 mph, though the cause of the connectivity issue remains unclear. President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk publicly criticized Ukraine’s strikes on Russian energy sites, but both denied responsibility for the Starshield disruption. Musk also alleged that Ukraine violated Starlink’s civilian terms of service by using the network for drone operations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Saturday that Starshield services had been restored.