Deputy commander-in-chief of AFU stresses need to reevaluate protection of military equipment now

According to a Ukrinform correspondent, he made this statement during a speech at the Drone Autonomy 2026 event in Lviv.

“Right now, we are focused on eliminating the enemy, but at the same time, we must not forget about our defense. Today, the issue of creating equipment and fitting out machinery with active protection systems is a pressing one. The enemy and we are taking the easy route—increasing armor thickness, installing anti-drone nets, and so on,” Lebedenko noted.

However, the brigadier general emphasized, “If you look at the civilian sector, for example, the automotive industry—they’ve taken a slightly different path. No one increased the thickness of the body metal. Instead, engineers have created special smart safety systems that detect a crash and automatically activate protective systems, such as airbags. This is about smart solutions, not the thickness of the metal."

The same, in his opinion, should be done for military equipment and ground-based robotic systems.

“Today, heavy tactical vehicles are often absent from the battlefield precisely because of their high vulnerability to drones. Therefore, it is necessary to create comprehensive active protection systems—integrated solutions capable of detecting, identifying, and effectively countering threats,” Lebedenko believes.

He emphasized that “we already have individual components—net launchers, smart turrets—but they are not integrated into a unified system. It is precisely such an integrated system that could become the game-changer that alters the course of the war.”

The deputy commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stressed that the future of equipment protection lies in intelligent, comprehensive solutions capable not only of withstanding an attack but also of preventing it.

As reported by Ukrinform, over 500 participants at the Drone Autonomy 2026, together with foreign partners, discussed the next steps for developing their own innovative systems and products. The event was attended by Ukrainian military personnel, representatives of NATO member states, domestic and foreign manufacturers of unmanned systems, communications equipment, and robotic systems, as well as defense startups.

Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine