Ukraine's AI gun turrets down Russia's fastest attack drones for first time

Ukraine's AI-enabled robotic gun turrets have achieved their first interceptions of Russia's fastest attack drones, a senior Air Force official confirmed on Monday, marking a significant development as Kyiv struggles to defend against high-speed jet-powered weapons. Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yurii Inhat said the automated turrets, deployed around Kyiv, have shot down Russian jet-powered drones including the Geran-5, which can reach speeds of up to 375 mph. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated over a dozen turrets are installed, with eight more planned, and the interception rate for these drones is 50% to 70%, compared to over 85% for slower models. The turrets, featuring .50-caliber machine guns and AI machine vision, are part of Ukraine's broader effort to counter a surge in jet-powered drone attacks, which rose from 350 in June to 2,800 in August. Ukrainian defense companies are also upgrading interceptor drones, with the "Bars" long-range model achieving a 30% shoot-down rate.