The Ukrainian Defense Forces have integrated interceptor drone launchers onto the Mi-8 multi-purpose helicopter — now the machine can shoot down Russian strike UAVs not only with an onboard machine gun, but also with controlled kamikaze drones.
Footage of the use of the new weapons was released in video address by President Volodymyr Zelensky on the occasion of Independence Day on August 24. They show the moment of launching the interceptor from under the helicopter’s external suspension assembly — the launch guides themselves are made of metal rails.
According to available footage, the helicopter has been integrated with at least three launchers on each side: that is, the Mi-8 is capable of carrying six interceptor drones on a mission at once. Judging by the design, the machine also received an optical station for visual search of air targets.Similar equipment is already installed on some Ukrainian Mi-8s that hunt for “Shaheeds” with onboard weapons.
The interceptor is most likely controlled by an operator from the helicopter cockpit or remotely via the Starlink terminal: Ukrainian ground-based and air-based unmanned interceptor complexes already operate according to the same scheme.
The scheme applied to the Mi-8 almost completely repeats the solution previously received An-28 plane — a civilian transport aircraft converted into a “shaheed hunter”. In April 2026, the P1-SUN interceptor manufactured by the Ukrainian company SkyFall was integrated into it, installing three suspension units under each wing — also six interceptors at the same time. As of May, the crew of this aircraft had destroyed 213 enemy drones, and some of the targets were hit by interceptor drones instead of expensive missiles class “air-air”.
