As of today, several enemy unmanned aerial vehicles, including Shahed and Zala drones, have been shot down in Kharkiv Region.
At the same time, new air defence groups are being formed at 13 additional enterprises that have been granted authorized entity status by the Ministry of Defence.
As of now, all groups are at different levels of readiness: some are already conducting combat missions, others are in the training phase, and others are completing their preparations and will soon strengthen the country’s air defence.
How private air defence operates
Private air defence is integrated into the unified command-and-control system of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and is already operating within it — protecting facilities and contributing to the interception of Shahed drones. This is a system-wide solution that enables rapid expansion of air defence capabilities without imposing additional strain on frontline units.
“We have created a model where the state, the military, and business operate as a unified system,” said Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov.
Under the project, the state is opening the air defence market and creating a competitive environment:
- Businesses can develop private air defence capabilities and participate in the protection of their own infrastructure.
- Private groups are equipped with weapons, operate under Air Force coordination, and become part of the broader air defence architecture.
“This means more protected facilities, more targets shot down, and faster response to attacks. Our goal is to build a multi-layered air defence system that ensures maximum coverage and effective interception of aerial threats. Protecting the skies is a key priority,” Mykhailo Fedorov concluded.