The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, announced plans to increase the effectiveness of the domestic air defense system in the near future. According to him, Ukraine’s air defense system is currently operating under extremely challenging conditions due to constant massive attacks from Russian missiles and drones, yet it continues to provide protection for the country against daily aerial threats.
This is reported by Finway
Complex Challenges and Strengthening Air Defense Resilience
In his post, Oleksandr Syrskyi explained that the effectiveness of the defense system depends on several key factors. Among them are regular supply of weapons, implementation of new technologies, adoption of effective personnel and management decisions, as well as flexibility in addressing new challenges and moving away from outdated bureaucratic approaches.
“Daily, the enemy employs between 100 to 200 strike UAVs of the Shahed type and periodically carries out massive missile and air strikes,” noted the Commander-in-Chief.
According to Syrskyi, over the past two years, Ukrainian air defense has been able to maintain effectiveness at around 74%. However, this figure is planned to be significantly increased in the near future through comprehensive organizational changes.
Steps to Strengthen Defense Capability
- It is planned to distribute functions between the anti-aircraft missile troops and a new branch of the military that will be responsible for protecting strategically important facilities.
- The quantity and quality of interceptor drones for combating enemy UAVs will be significantly increased.
- Ukraine is actively cooperating with international partners to address the shortage of missiles for anti-aircraft missile systems and to replenish the fleet of fighter aircraft.
Syrskyi also emphasized that under difficult weather conditions, anti-aircraft missile troops remain the most effective, as they can operate independently of weather changes. In favorable weather, aviation, helicopters, and interceptor drones are actively involved in defense, allowing for the destruction of over 70% of all enemy aerial attack means.
“In challenging weather conditions, the primary and most effective means remain the anti-aircraft missile troops, which are all-weather. In favorable weather conditions, aviation, helicopters, and interceptor drones are actively engaged. This allows for the destruction of 70 percent, and sometimes more, of all aerial attack means. We are enhancing the effectiveness of the UAV component of air defense,” added Syrskyi.
Additionally, Ukraine has developed its own laser air defense system, Sunray. While laser weapons are already in use worldwide, the Ukrainian model has a number of unique features that could enhance protection against aerial threats in the future.