---
title: "First Clash: Ukrainian Interceptors Shoot Down Russia's Newest 'Sokol-I' Drone"
description: "Ukrainian military forces have shot down Russia's newest 'Sokol-I' interceptor drone for the first time. Pilots of the 57th Brigade used the 'General Cherehnya AIR', confirming the effectiveness of Ukrainian technology against new threats from the RF. 🇺🇦🚁🚫"
date: 2026-06-29T11:16:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukrainian-interceptors-shoot-down-russias-newest-sokol-i-drone
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# First Clash: Ukrainian Interceptors Shoot Down Russia's Newest 'Sokol-I' Drone

![Ukrainian operator launching a drone against a clear sky, symbolizing the fight against Russian 'Sokol-I' drones](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/29/ukraincy-sbili-novyy-rossiyskiy-dron-sokol-i/ukraincy-sbili-novyy-rossiyskiy-dron-sokol-i-1.webp)

A landmark battle has taken place on the battlefield of the drone war. Ukrainian military forces have recorded the first destruction of Russia's newest unmanned aerial vehicle, the 'Sokol-I'. This device, created by the occupiers specifically to combat Ukrainian reconnaissance and strike drones, failed to withstand the encounter with the Ukrainian opponent.

Information regarding the defeat is confirmed by a video published in the 'General Cherehnya' Facebook community. RBC-Ukraine cites this material as proof of the effectiveness of Ukrainian interception tactics.

### Who and how 'Sokol-I' was shot down

The destruction of the new Russian development was carried out by pilots of the 57th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade named after the Kosh Ataman Kostya Gordienko. To accomplish the task, they used the specialized interceptor drone 'General Cherehnya AIR'.

This success has strategic significance. At 'General Cherehnya', they note that shooting down the 'Sokol-I' confirms the versatility of their development. Ukrainian interceptors have proven their ability to work effectively not only against standard strike and reconnaissance machines but also against new specialized models that Russia is trying to introduce into the war.

### Statistics and prospects of interceptors

'General Cherehnya AIR' interceptor drones have already proven themselves as a reliable tool for countering mass attacks. Previously, they showed high effectiveness in the fight against Russian drones of the 'Molniya' type.

According to the DELTA situational awareness system, 'General Cherehnya' interceptors account for 44% of all 'Molniya' drone strikes. These figures confirm the prospects for the development of the class of frontline interceptors to neutralize the growing threat from Russian UAVs.

### Characteristics of the Russian 'Sokol-I'

'Sokol-I' is one of the freshest Russian developments in the interceptor segment. The device was presented to the public only about a month ago as a specialized means of combating Ukrainian drones. However, Ukrainian military personnel have already demonstrated the ability to effectively counter this new threat.

According to the characteristics voiced by Russian media, the drone has the following parameters:

    - Maximum speed: up to 150 km/h.

    - Operating altitude: up to 5,000 meters.

    - Fuselage: made of polystyrene foam to reduce production costs.

To destroy targets, the 'Sokol-I' can use a warhead with remote detonation or perform a kinetic interception (impact at speed).

It is worth noting that the company 'General Cherehnya' continues to develop its ecosystem. Previously, they presented a new reconnaissance drone, which became a continuation of the development of the aircraft line and was developed in close cooperation with combat units.