Ukraine investing in boosting air defense and developing interceptor drones to counter Russian strikes – Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that Ukraine is investing in strengthening its air defense, protecting critical infrastructure, decentralizing the energy sector, and developing drones capable of intercepting enemy UAVs.
The head of state made the announcement on June 11 during the "Ukraine – Southeastern Europe" summit in Odesa, according to Censor.NET.
"First and foremost, we need to have a clear understanding of what energy security means for Ukraine. In any situation where we don’t have a surplus — whether during extreme heat or deep cold — we become vulnerable," Zelenskyy stated.
He reminded that Russia intensifies its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during the winter, targeting everything from power plants to gas storage facilities.
Priority #1 – Air defense and mobile protection systems
Zelenskyy emphasized that air defense remains the most critical shield for Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
"Protection means air defense. I won’t disclose which systems are deployed where, or which energy sites they are covering. As soon as the enemy understands what air defense systems we have, they try to strike them. That’s why we constantly relocate our air defense systems," he explained.
According to Zelenskyy, Russia launches hundreds of drones every day: "They’re now striking with over 300 drones per day. At one point, it was 483 drones in a single day."
He added that Ukraine is actively developing new technologies to counter UAV threats more effectively.
"We already have some new developments undergoing testing, and we are actively seeking additional funding to begin mass production of these systems. One such area is the creation of interceptor drones designed specifically to neutralize enemy UAVs," Zelenskyy said.
Decentralization of energy and protection of gas infrastructure
The President noted that the decentralization of Ukraine’s energy system is ongoing, although specific details are not being disclosed. At the same time, Ukraine is coordinating with international partners to protect its gas infrastructure and increase reserves, Zelenskyy added.
"We’ve discussed this issue with various leaders, because there have been strikes on storage facilities, gas infrastructure, and gas extraction sites. We are assisting the private sector and requesting support from international partners to help increase gas volumes in our storage facilities," he stated.
