Private air defence groups are already defending Ukraine’s skies and shooting down enemy drones, - Fedorov. VIDEO
The pilot project launched by the Government to involve the private sector in the air defence system is already underway and yielding initial results.
This was announced by Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on his Telegram channel, reports Censor.NET.
Own air defence unit has been formed
According to him, one of the companies participating in the project has already prepared its own air defence unit. To date, several enemy drones have been shot down in the Kharkiv region, including Shahed and Zala.
At the same time, new air defence units are being formed at a further 13 enterprises that have been granted the status of authorised economic entities by the Ministry of Defence.
"As of now, all units are at various stages of training: some are already carrying out combat missions, others are undergoing training, and the rest are completing their training and will soon bolster the country’s air defence.
Private air defence is integrated into the unified command system of the Ukrainian Air Force and is already operating within it – protecting facilities and participating in the interception of Shahed drones. This is a systemic solution that allows for the rapid scaling of air defence capabilities without placing an additional burden on frontline units," Fedorov noted.
The state, the military and business operate as a single system
He also emphasised that a model has been created in which the state, the military and business operate as a single system.
"We are opening up the air defence market and creating competition: businesses and companies can develop private air defence systems and protect their own infrastructure. Private groups will receive weapons, operate under the coordination of the Air Force and become part of the overall air defence architecture. The result will be more protected sites, more targets shot down and a faster response to attacks.
Our goal is to build a multi-layered air defence system that will ensure maximum coverage and effective interception of air threats. Air defence is a key priority," the minister concludes.
