Ukrainian border guards down Russian drone at record altitude of 6,858 m in Chernihiv Oblast
Ukraine's border guards intercepted a Russian ZALA Z-20 reconnaissance drone at 6,858 meters in Chernihiv Oblast, setting a record for the highest confirmed shootdown in the area.
Ukrainian border guards from the Chernihiv Detachment have reported the successful destruction of a Russian ZALA Z-20 reconnaissance drone. The shootdown took place at an altitude of 6,858 meters above the northern front line, marking the highest confirmed interception of an enemy UAV in the area.
The unit said that the enemy deliberately operates ZALA Z-20 reconnaissance drones at high altitudes, expecting them to remain out of reach. However, an operator using Sting interceptor drones from the 105th Border Guard Detachment managed to successfully engage and destroy the target.
The State Border Guard Service clarified that this is the highest altitude at which any unit in Chernihiv Oblast has downed a Russian UAV. While officials did not specify the exact date of the operation, Ukrainska Pravda sources indicate that it took place in mid-July.
The new record comes just days after another notable achievement. On July 29, Ukraine's National Guard reported that drone operators from the Lasar's Group strike UAV unit had destroyed a Russian ZALA Z-20 at an altitude of 6,400 meters, which had been the previous record for the highest successful aerial interception.
These latest intercepts underscore Ukraine's growing capability to counter reconnaissance drones at very high altitudes, using specialized interceptor UAVs.
