ZSU-23-4 Shilka

A Soviet anti-aircraft gun designed in 1965 to shoot down low-flying jets, now one of the cheapest ways Ukraine destroys Shahed drones. Sixteen modernised Shilkas paid for by a charitable foundation recorded their first Shahed kills in December 2025.

Overview

The ZSU-23-4 Shilka is a Soviet tracked self-propelled anti-aircraft gun mounting four 23 mm autocannon in a powered turret with an integral fire-control radar. Introduced in 1965, it fires a combined 3,400–4,000 rounds per minute, carries around 2,000 rounds, and engages out to roughly 2.5 km in range and an estimated 1.5 km in altitude.

Those numbers are unremarkable against modern aircraft, which is why the type had largely passed out of front-line relevance. Against a Shahed-type drone flying a predictable course at low altitude and under 200 km/h, they are more than adequate — and the ammunition costs a tiny fraction of any interceptor missile. That economic fact is the whole reason the Shilka is in this lexicon.

Ukraine's Come Back Alive Foundation funded the modernisation of 16 ZSU-23-4M-A1 systems and delivered them to the National Guard; foundation CEO Taras Chmut confirmed the first Shahed shootdowns in December 2025. Unmodernised Ukrainian Shilkas, by contrast, were assessed as having minimal effectiveness against modern targets.

🔒 The full ZSU-23-4 Shilka file is for BattlePolicy Pro members. Below the line: development history, design and capabilities, variants, the combat record, advantages and limitations, comparable systems, outlook, the full specifications table, our sourcing, and the analyst assessment — procurement, suppliers and the BattlePolicy verdict. Unlock the full file with BattlePolicy Pro →