Wild Hornets STING interceptor drone in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War

Direct proof of use

The Wild Hornets STING is documented in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War as a Ukrainian FPV interceptor used against Russian one-way attack drones. UNITED24 Media reported that Wild Hornets released footage on May 19, 2025 showing a STING engaging a Russian-Iranian Shahed-type UAV at altitude, with the interceptor striking the target from below.

Later reporting described operational use beyond a single public video. Ukrainska Pravda reported that a Bulava unit pilot using STING interceptors destroyed two Russian Shahed-type loitering munitions while operating from about 500 km away through Hornet Vision Ctrl technology. Ukrainska Pravda also reported Wild Hornets' claim that STING interceptors shot down more than 3,000 Russian Shahed and Gerbera loitering munitions in May 2026.

Sources: UNITED24 Media STING Shahed intercept report, Ukrainska Pravda 500 km STING intercept report, Ukrainska Pravda May 2026 STING total report

Timeline

Public documentation places STING's war use in a 2025-2026 counter-UAV sequence. Wild Hornets presented the system as an interceptor for Russian Shahed, Geran, Lancet, and reconnaissance drones; media reporting then documented released intercept footage, remote-control engagements, and later attributed interception totals.

The timeline below separates public disclosure and manufacturer claims from documented battlefield-use reporting. Reported totals remain attributed to Wild Hornets unless an independent public audit is available.

Sources: Wild Hornets STING interceptor, UNITED24 Media STING Shahed intercept report, Ukrainska Pravda 500 km STING intercept report, Ukrainska Pravda May 2026 STING total report

Narrative

STING's documented role in the war is tactical air defense against Russian UAVs rather than reconnaissance or ground attack. Wild Hornets describes the aircraft as a Ukrainian FPV interceptor designed to destroy Russian kamikaze UAVs, and its published specifications emphasize short-duration high-speed flight, altitude, payload, and FPV control and video links.

The reported target set is centered on Shahed-type and Gerbera loitering munitions used in Russian attacks on Ukraine. In the May 2025 intercept report, the source described a STING with a thermal camera pursuing and striking a Shahed-type drone above cloud level. In the April 2026 report, the same weapon family was tied to distributed control infrastructure when the operator and launch point were separated by hundreds of kilometers.

Public reporting does not establish an independently verified total for all STING kills. The strongest high-volume figure is an attributed Wild Hornets claim, reported by Ukrainska Pravda, that STING drones destroyed more than 3,000 Shahed and Gerbera loitering munitions in May 2026.

Sources: Wild Hornets STING interceptor, UNITED24 Media STING Shahed intercept report, Ukrainska Pravda 500 km STING intercept report, Ukrainska Pravda May 2026 STING total report