Ukraine’s Air Force fundamentally changes how it tracks Russian Shaheds

The Ukrainian Air Force has changed its approach to tracking and accounting for Russian Shahed-type kamikaze drones moving between regions, Deputy Commander Pavlo Yelizarov said in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda.

Previously, such drones could effectively “drop out” of statistics if they did not strike a specific region. That approach has now been abandoned.

Full tracking of every drone and its route

“Before, regions thought: if a drone passed by and didn’t hit us — 'thank God, no one will blame us in the morning',” Yelizarov explained.

Now the model is different: if Shaheds entered and exited, that’s bad. And there is control: how many entered and how many left. 

This marks a shift toward complete tracking of enemy drone movements across regions, enabling a more accurate assessment of air defense effectiveness.

Radar deployment becomes systematic and adaptive

Yelizarov said radar coverage has also been reanalyzed. Previously, individual units could independently decide on radar placement. Now, deployment follows a coordinated system based on prior attack patterns.

“Now it is more structured: radars are placed according to a clear logic and repositioned depending on previous strikes. There is constant analysis of mistakes,” he noted.

Interceptors and missiles form a layered defense system

There is no single universal solution against Shahed drones. Effective defense relies on a combination of tools, including mobile fire groups, interceptor drones, and short-range missiles.

“Interceptor drones are a viable and cost-effective solution,” Yelizarov said, while adding that he places greater reliance on short-range missile systems.

Interceptor drones evolve toward missile-like performance

According to him, Ukrainian interceptor drones can now reach speeds of up to 700 km/h and are rapidly evolving, approaching the capabilities of cruise missiles.

This significantly enhances Ukraine’s ability to counter aerial threats and strengthens overall air defense performance.

Earlier, Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, said Ukraine needs its own high-speed radio modems with MESH support. It increases communication range and resilience in complex conditions.