STING interceptor drone destroys Russian ZALA Z-20 at record altitude of over 7.4 km. VIDEO
Drone Industry
Ukrainian pilots have set new records for the altitude at which Russian UAVs were shot down using high-speed Sting interceptor drones.
The Wild Hornets company, which manufactures the interceptor, reported this to the Drone Industry project on Censor.NET.
In early August, a pilot from the Alpha Special Operations Center of the Security Service of Ukraine (Alpha SOC of SSU) struck an enemy target at an altitude of 6,955 metres. Just one week later, the Klever crew of the Hrim Unmanned Systems Detachment of the 27th Separate Regiment of the National Guard of Ukraine, named after Prince Sviatoslav Yaroslavovych (27th Separate Regiment of NGU), intercepted a Russian UAV at an altitude of 7,472 metres.
The previous record for the altitude of a target hit was set by the 105th Border Guard Detachment, named after Prince Volodymyr the Great, of the State Border Guard Service. Its fighters destroyed a Russian drone at an altitude of 6,858 metres.
Hunting ZALA Z-20 drones
As a reminder, successful shoot-downs of enemy targets by Sting interceptors have been regularly recorded at altitudes of 6-7 kilometres in recent months.
Most of the targets eliminated are Russian ZALA Z-20 reconnaissance UAVs. The enemy is sending them increasingly higher in an attempt to hide them from Ukrainian air defence. However, the skill of Sting pilots proves that there are no safe places for the occupiers in Ukrainian skies.
The cost of a single ZALA Z-20 drone is estimated at $200,000. Therefore, the destruction of each such Russian UAV inflicts significant losses on the enemy and, more importantly, thwarts the occupiers’ attempts to conduct aerial reconnaissance and adjust their strikes.
As a reminder, in addition to destroying enemy reconnaissance drones, the high-speed Sting interceptor drone has consistently ranked first in the number of Russian Shahed-type drones shot down since the autumn of last year. According to confirmed data, since the beginning of 2026, combat units of the Defence Forces have destroyed more than 11,000 Russian Shahed/Geran and Gerbera drones of various modifications, including jet-powered variants, using these interceptors. More than 2,000 enemy targets of this type were hit in July alone.
About the company "Wild Hornets"
Wild Hornets is a Ukrainian MilTech company engaged in the development and production of unmanned systems.
Wild Hornets was among the pioneers of using FPV drones for combat purposes and developed Sting, the most effective high-speed interceptor drone for destroying enemy Shahed-type kamikaze drones. Its emergence effectively shaped the interceptor drone niche in Ukraine.
The company combines leadership in this category with an ecosystem of combat drones and innovative communication technologies that will allow pilots to control drones remotely.
Drones produced by Wild Hornets are now used by more than 100 units of Ukraine's Defense Forces: the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the Special Operations Forces, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate, the Air Force, and the State Border Guard Service.
