More than 12 turrets designed to counter jet-powered drones have been installed in Kyiv
More than 12 turrets have already been installed in Kyiv to help defend the capital against Russian drones. Eight more automated combat modules are planned for installation in the Kyiv region. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that a comprehensive defense system is needed to counter new types of drones.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy made these remarks during a press briefing in Kyiv alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Responding to a question about how Ukraine is preparing for attacks by jet-powered drones, the president announced the installation of the new turrets. “We’ve started installing turrets. Twelve have already been installed in the capital, and eight more 50-caliber turrets will be installed in the Kyiv region,” Zelenskyy said.
These are automatic combat modules designed for 50-caliber machine guns. Such systems can serve as one element of defense against aerial targets. Thus, more than 12 such turrets have already been installed in Kyiv. Another eight are planned to be deployed in the region. Zelenskyy emphasized that these defenses alone are not enough to counter the new threat. According to him, Ukraine needs a combined approach that will allow it to combat various types of aerial targets.
The president also stated that Russia may increasingly rely on jet drones and ballistic missiles. “As for massive strikes—strikes similar to those we are currently witnessing—I believe they will focus not on quantity but on quality, shifting from the use of conventional kamikaze drones to the maximum use of jet-powered ones,” Zelenskyy said.
According to him, this means that Ukraine must prepare for a change in the nature of Russian attacks. Jet-powered drones differ from conventional strike UAVs in terms of speed. This makes them harder to detect and intercept in time. That is why Ukraine is simultaneously developing several countermeasures—ranging from automated fire control systems to new interceptor drones and other weapons.
Earlier, Zelenskyy also reported on the development of Ukrainian small missiles and interceptors intended for use against Russian jet-powered drones. The installation of turrets in Kyiv and the Kyiv region is another element of this defense system. They are planned to be used in conjunction with other measures to respond to new aerial threats.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited the damaged building of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kyiv. They spoke with rescue workers who were cleaning up the aftermath of the Russian strike on September 28. During the meeting in the capital, an air raid alert was sounded again due to the threat of Russian attacks.
