Ukrainian Army Encourages Private Enterprises to Purchase Weapons to Shoot Down Incoming Drones

A senior official from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense stated that the Ukrainian military encourages private enterprises to independently acquire air defense systems to counter Russian drone attacks, and some companies have already been authorized and have "shot down" Russian drones.

On the 9th, AFP quoted the words of Yuri Mironenko, the Inspector General of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, in an interview, reporting that 16 companies have passed the approval process, with some having shot down incoming Russian drones, and "dozens" of groups have inquired after seeing the Ministry of Defense's related statements.

Mironenko said that the government does not expect private air defense systems to solve all problems, but has been forced to take this measure to shoot down Russian drones as much as possible. He stated that since the Ukrainian military's air defense systems cannot cover the entire country, the Ministry of Defense has chosen to outsource some air defense tasks to private enterprises, such as logistics companies, security groups, and energy companies that often become targets of Russian strikes, aiming to allow these companies to "use their own funds and manpower to protect themselves from the threat of airstrikes."

Mironenko indicated that companies interested in participating in the project must undergo special approval, including the exclusion of any relations with the Russian side, before they can purchase air defense weapons and train personnel. Additionally, private air defense facilities must be integrated into the Ukrainian Air Force's real-time collaborative combat system to be managed by the Ukrainian military.

In his view, private air defense systems could be widely used in the future to deploy interceptor drones, which are small drones primarily used to destroy incoming drones in the air. Reports indicate that Ukraine only began to vigorously develop this industry about a year ago and has since developed approximately 50 different models of interceptor drones.

Mironenko stated that Ukraine will not impose restrictions on private companies purchasing "protective tools," and in the future, it may even allow private companies to acquire weapons capable of shooting down cruise missiles, such as man-portable air defense missile systems.