Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine will urgently strengthen its short-range air defense to counter Russian attack drones, warning that current failures are allowing strikes to penetrate defenses.
He linked the issue to ongoing Russian attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure, which have intensified during winter and placed sustained pressure on Ukraine’s air defense network.
Personnel changes ordered as coverage gaps exposed
In an address on 6 February, Zelenskyy said the component responsible for intercepting Russian Shahed-type drones “must operate far more effectively” and announced personnel changes within Air Force units in several regions.
He said defensive coverage is uneven, with some areas better protected than others. Practices that are already proving effective must be applied nationwide without delay, Zelenskyy said, stressing that every day matters.
Fedorov takes direct oversight of counter-drone improvements
The statement followed remarks earlier on Friday in which Zelenskyy said the Air Force’s performance in some regions was unsatisfactory. He said urgent corrective steps were discussed with the Air Force Commander and Defense Minister.
Zelenskyy said the defense ministry, under newly-appointed head Mykhailo Fedorov, is now directly overseeing improvements to counter-drone defenses and that the Air Force commander has received additional instructions.
Ukraine, he added, has enough experience within its defense forces to rapidly scale up systems that work.
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