New Deputy Commander of Air Force will be responsible for development of small air defense systems - Fedorov
This was announced on Facebook by Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, according to Ukrinform.
The head of the defense department emphasized that no country in the world today has as much experience in countering air attacks as Ukraine.
Every day and every night, Russian invaders use hundreds of drones to carry out strikes. Last year alone, they launched up to 100,000 drones, including Shahed strike drones, against Ukraine. As a result of these attacks, dozens of critical infrastructure facilities have been damaged. Hundreds of hits on residential buildings have been recorded, and there are casualties.
The number of attacks is growing: Russia wants to destroy civilian infrastructure and plunge Ukraine into darkness.
As Fedorov noted, no one was prepared for this type of war, but Ukraine is forced to respond — quickly, systematically, and technologically.
"That is why, at the President's request, we are changing our approach to defending the sky. The transformation of such a system does not happen in a few days, but we need to start today in order to finally resolve this issue. Our task is to build an anti-drone dome over Ukraine. A system that does not react after the fact, but destroys the threat as it approaches. This requires people who have already proven their effectiveness in modern warfare. Lazar is one of those people," the minister said.
He noted that under the leadership of Pavel Yelizarov, the Lasar's group unit has become one of the most effective in the Defense Forces. This team has already destroyed more than USD 13 billion worth of enemy equipment. Every fifth Russian tank destroyed is the result of their work.
The unit consistently ranks among the top positions in the “Army of Drones. Bonus” rating. In December alone, its fighters destroyed 364 Russian guns and 12 multiple launch rocket systems.
"Now the task is to scale up this experience. To build a system that works not just in specific areas, but across the whole country," said Fedorov.
He stressed that transforming the army in the face of daily enemy attacks is difficult, but there is no choice. Approaches, structures, and workflows must be changed so that technologies actually work on the battlefield and don't just remain in presentations.
"The result will not come tomorrow, but we are building the system today. The anti-drone dome is not about the future. It is about survival today and the possibility of Ukraine's development even in times of war. I congratulate Lazar on his appointment. We will continue to strengthen the team with those who have proven themselves in war, scale up the strong, and help new leaders grow," the minister added.
Fedorov announced new personnel appointments and thanked President Volodymyr Zelensky for his support.
As reported by Ukrinform, Zelensky approved the appointment of Pavlo Yelizarov as the new deputy commander of the Air Force.
Photo: Forbes Ukraine
