---
title: "Brave1: Ukrainian interceptor already downing 'Banderol' drones and costs less than the drone-missile itself"
description: "Brave1 stated that a Ukrainian interceptor is already downing Russian \"Banderols\" and costs less than the drone-missile itself. The agency did not disclose the developer or the exact cost of deployment."
date: 2026-09-07T14:52:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-downs-banderol-brave1-en
tags: [ukraine, brave1, banderol, drone, air-defense, russia, kronstadt, orion]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Brave1: Ukrainian interceptor already downing 'Banderol' drones and costs less than the drone-missile itself

![Ukrainian Brave1 interceptor drone in flight: gray UAV with deployed landing gear and under-fuselage sensor pod, used to shoot down enemy drone-warheads](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/07/ukraina-sbivaet-banderol-brave1/ukraina-sbivaet-banderol-brave1-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Brave1 reported that a Ukrainian means is already destroying Russian "Banderols" and costs less than the drone-missile itself.
- The "Banderol" (S8000) is a hybrid jet munition by JSC "Kronstadt", usually launched from the "Orion" UAV, with a range of about 500 km.
- The agency did not disclose the name of the developer, the characteristics, or the exact cost of the intercept.
- Several Ukrainian products against the "Banderol" exist, and they are planned to be scaled up for the protection of cities.
- Experts note that the munition is not invulnerable to air defense, but it loads the defense in the class of air missiles.

The Ukrainian defense cluster Brave1 reported that one of the means developed by a cluster participant is already destroying Russian "Banderol" (S8000) drone-missiles. According to the agency, the cost of such an intercept is significantly lower than the cost of the drone-missile itself. At the same time, Brave1 did not specify the name of the particular developer, the technical characteristics of the means, or the exact figure of its deployment, limiting itself to confirming that the solution is operational.

### What is the "Banderol"

The "Banderol" (S8000) is a Russian jet cruise munition, which the GUR of the MoU also classifies as a cruise missile. In fact, it is a hybrid of a drone and a missile, developed by the Russian JSC "Kronstadt". As a rule, the munition is launched from the Russian "Orion" UAV — it is exactly such an aircraft, with its characteristic V-shaped tail fins and lowered landing gear, that is visible in the photos. In Russia, reportedly, ways to diversify its use are being sought, including launch from ground platforms. The declared flight range is about 500 km, with a maximum speed of up to 650 km/h.

### How Ukraine counters it

Brave1 emphasized that at present there are already several Ukrainian products capable of countering the "Banderol", and they are planned to be developed and scaled up for the protection of Ukrainian cities. The agency placed the key emphasis on economic efficiency: the intercept costs less than the target itself, which makes the system sustainable against mass launches.

### Contradictory data

Open sources and statements by the parties contain minor discrepancies. First, the speed of the munition is given differently: in some data it is "up to 650 km/h", in others "about 600 km/h" in jet mode, and before the strike the aircraft, reportedly, descends to an altitude of around 200 meters. Second, the classification issue remains unsettled: the GUR of the MoU calls the "Banderol" a cruise missile, whereas by design it is a hybrid of a drone and a missile with a jet engine. The exact cost of the intercept and the name of the developer are not disclosed in Brave1, so the claim of "cheapness" currently rests on a single statement by the agency.

### Expert assessment and chronology of use

In June 2026, Russia used the "Banderol" for the first time against Kyiv, after which the use of the munition against Ukraine intensified. At the same time, according to the assessment of aviation expert Anatoly Khrapchinsky, the "Banderol" is not invulnerable to Ukrainian air defense: by flight profile it corresponds to a cruise missile or a jet drone, but it is precisely this that places a load on air defense in the class of air missiles. Thus, the appearance of a cheaper interceptor within Brave1 logically fits the task of unloading air defense and protecting cities from mass launches of hybrid munitions.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Intercept cheaper than the missile: Brave1 showed how "Banderols" are being shot down](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/perehoplennya-deshevshe-raketu-brave1-pokazali-1788792595.html) - Первичный источник заявления Brave1 о более дешевом перехвате «Бандеролей»; разработчик и точная стоимость не раскрыты.
- [Here is your "Banderol": what is known about the latest Russian hybrid drone-missile](https://news.mail.ru/politics/71293004/) - Подтверждено по источнику news.mail.ru
- [Here is your "Banderol": what is known about the latest Russian hybrid drone-missile](https://www.mk.ru/politics/2026/06/17/poluchite-banderol-chto-izvestno-o-noveyshey-rossiyskoy-gibridnoy-raketedrone.html) - Подтверждено по источнику mk.ru
- ["Your delivery": what is known about the ultra-new Russian cruise missiles "Banderol"](https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/28022663) - Контекст по характеристикам и классификации «Бандероли» (S8000), запуску с «Ориона», скорости и дальности.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What is the "Banderol"?
**A:** It is the Russian jet cruise munition S8000, a hybrid of a drone and a missile, developed by JSC "Kronstadt". It is usually launched from the "Orion" UAV, with a range of about 500 km and a speed of up to 650 km/h.

### Q: How much cheaper is the Ukrainian intercept?
**A:** Brave1 stated that the cost of the intercept is significantly lower than the cost of the drone-missile itself, but the agency did not disclose the exact figure.

### Q: Who developed the interceptor?
**A:** The name of the specific developer is not specified in Brave1; it is only known that this is a participant of the defense cluster.

### Q: Is the "Banderol" vulnerable to air defense?
**A:** According to experts, it is not invulnerable: by flight profile it corresponds to a cruise missile or a jet drone, but it loads air defense in the class of air missiles.