Drone force commander Sukharevskyi did not offer any further details about the laser. However, experts told CNN the existence of the Tryzub
Few countries are as disproportionately innovative as Ukraine. Ukraine has modified existing weapons systems and created some new ones way beyond what most defense experts could have imagined at the start of Russia's full scale invasion.
Starting with the sinking of the Russian Black Sea flagship Moskva with a homemade Neptune R-360 missile, Ukraine has demonstrated its resourcefulness and skills in defending itself against an aggressor with 3½ times its population.
Apparently Ukraine now has developed a functional defense laser which can shoot down objects over 2 km away.
Ukraine has developed a laser weapon capable of shooting down targets from more than a mile away, the country’s drone force commander has claimed. Speaking at a defense summit in Kyiv this week, Vadym Sukharevskyi, Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems said, “Today, we can already shoot down aircraft with this laser at an altitude of over 2 kilometers (1.2 miles).” “It truly works, it truly exists,” he said, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported, adding that efforts were being made to enhance the weapon’s scale and capabilities. The laser is named the Tryzub, or Ukrainian for “trident,” a nod to Ukraine’s national symbol representing independence, strength, and unity.
Ukraine's national symbol.
Sukharevskyi did not offer any further details about the Tryzub laser and CNN cannot verify his claims. However, experts told CNN the existence of the Tryzub was “feasible.” Patrick Senft of the Armament Research Services, a technical intelligence consultancy specializing in arms in munitions research, told CNN that while little is known about the Tryzub system, “it is entirely feasible for Ukraine to develop a functional directed-energy weapon (DEW) capable of destroying some aerial targets.”
Targeting is key with directed-energy weapons (DEWs). If Ukraine develops a practical targeting system it would be a major step forward in its defense. But a lot of the drones used by Russia against Ukraine are slow moving and clunky. Occasionally such drones are shot down by machine gun fire.
As far as we know, Russia is way behind in its own development of DEWs.
Only a few countries are understood to be in possession of laser weapons, including the US, China and Israel. The UK is also currently developing its own laser weapons system, called the DragonFire, which is set to be operational in 2027. In April, former Defense Minister Grant Shapps said that the DragonFire could potentially be used in Ukraine to counter Russian drones, Reuters reported.
Some readers will note that DragonFire is "dracarys" in High Valyrian. And some day winter will indeed come for Vladimir Putin.