Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense continues to develop the “private air defense” project. In the Kharkiv region, the first recorded shootdown of a jet-powered strike drone of the “Shahed” type was reported; it was moving at a speed of over 400 km/h.
A private air defense group is actively involved in repelling aerial attacks and is already demonstrating results in combat conditions.
“This is a new level of complexity: the enemy is scaling up the use of jet drones—faster and more difficult to intercept. By order of the President, we are systematically building a multi-layered air defense system and strengthening the protection of our skies,” said Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov.
In response, Ukraine is developing a comprehensive air defense system that combines different tools and layers of protection.
One element of this system is private air defense groups, which reinforce the protection of critical infrastructure.
“The goal of the project is to quickly scale capabilities without additional burden on combat units,” Fedorov emphasized.
Currently, private air defense groups are being formed at 19 enterprises. They are integrated into the unified command system of the Air Forces and operate as part of the overall air defense architecture.
The next stage is to expand the project and increase its effectiveness, including a higher number of intercepted targets and reduced response time to aerial threats.
