Zelenskyy after Supreme Commander-in-Chief HQ meeting: Ukraine to form additional helicopter units to counter Russian drones
On Monday, October 13, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff to discuss the protection and restoration of Ukraine’s energy system, as well as several military issues.
He reported this on social media, Censor.NET informs.
"Today I chaired a Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Headquarters meeting. Priority number one, protecting and restoring the energy system. Reports were delivered on repair efforts across the regions after Russian strikes. I’m grateful to everyone involved, working almost around the clock, often the heroic efforts of our energy workers, repair crews, and Ukraine’s State Emergency Service," he said.
"The most difficult situation is in frontline communities and near the border with Russia, where Russian attack drones and missiles have the shortest flight time and air raid alerts occur almost constantly," he added.
Despite all threats, even in those communities, people continue restoring power and ensuring emergency support systems for civilians, the president noted.
Separate attention was given to recovery efforts in Odesa and the region, where, according to Zelensky, "many mistakes have been made by local authorities."
Reports were also delivered on Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Consistent attention remains on Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Poltava regions. "For every other region of our country, we have clear data on the required equipment, work, and funding. Relevant instructions have been issued for each direction," he said.
"As for military matters, we discussed how to expand the capabilities of army aviation to defend against drones. Additional helicopter units will be formed. We are also working with partners to secure more types of aircraft for Ukraine. Reports were presented on cooperation with companies producing interceptor drones — maximum production volumes are needed," the president said.
Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal also reported on preparations for the upcoming "Ramstein" meeting scheduled for October 15. The priorities are air defense, not only a list of necessary systems and missiles, but also a clear understanding of which countries can provide rapid deliveries and under what conditions, Zelensky said.
"We are working with partners within the PURL and SAFE programs. While PURL has already proven effective, the European program Security Action for Europe still needs to be filled with real, practical content. In particular, we need forms of national participation by European countries in SAFE that can deter Russia right now.
Only by ending Russia’s war against Ukraine and ensuring reliable guarantees of our security can we make Europe’s overall security truly strong," Zelenskyy concluded.
