Ukraine Develops Low-Cost Missiles to Counter Russian Shahed Drones

Ukrainian outlets describe Russia’s Shahed and missile attacks on Kyiv and other cities as a constant threat that drains expensive air defense stocks. They present the development of low-cost interceptor missiles as a way for Ukraine to keep defending civilians without exhausting high-end systems like Patriot and NASAMS. They expect Russia to keep using Shahed drones in large numbers, so Ukraine needs cheaper, mass-produced defenses to keep pace.

• •Ukrainian officials say Russia is using Shahed-type drones and ballistic missiles to hit residential areas in Kyiv and other cities.
• •Ukraine’s government argues that firing Western-supplied air defense missiles at Shahed drones is financially unsustainable over time.
• •Mykhailo Fedorov says Ukrainian engineers are working on interceptor missiles that will be cheaper than the drones they target.
• •Ukraine’s defense ministry maintains that domestic production of low-cost interceptors will reduce dependence on foreign air defense supplies.
• •Regional reporting links the latest Kyiv casualties on 2026-05-24 to Russia’s continued use of mixed missile-and-drone barrages.