Yelizarov should be returned to Defense Forces to minimize consequences of what awaits us in coming months – Butusov
The resignation of Pavlo Yelizarov, deputy commander of the Air Force, who was in charge of the drone program, served as a wake-up call.
This was stated on air by Yurii Butusov, commander of the UAV company of the 23rd Assault Regiment, part of the National Guard’s 2nd Corps "Khartiia," according to Censor.NET.
What is known?
"Elizarov resigned in protest against Minister Fedorov’s dismissal. And I believe that people like Pavel Elizarov—the visionary who created the first and largest UAV unit, 'Lasar’s Group,' which effectively revolutionized warfare and made an invaluable contribution of historic proportions—an invaluable contribution to the war of 2023–2024—is simply incredible," he said.
According to Butusov, this is a major problem for our country.
"Unfortunately, a leader of this caliber—with such innovative and forward-thinking vision, capable of building highly complex systems and taking proactive action—was not retained in the command structure. And now we are facing consequences that we are unable to respond to in time.
I am confident that, in order to minimize the consequences of what lies ahead in the coming months—not only next winter, but also in the spring and summer—the government must reinstate Pavlo Yelizarov to the ranks of the Defense Forces to lead the drone-based air defense program. "We simply don’t have anyone else for a position of this magnitude," he concluded.
The full broadcast featuring Yurii Butusov is available at this link.
Yelizarov's Resignation
Deputy Commander of the Air Force Pavlo Yelizarov resigned on July 16, 2026.
"Unfortunately, in the fifth year of the war, I submitted a request to resign from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I believe that M. Fedorov's removal is a major blow to the country's defense capabilities," he said at the time.
