Ukraine expands private companies' role in counter-drone defence

Ukraine's government (the Cabinet of Ministers) has approved six changes to its experimental private air-defence programme. The changes widen the role of companies in protecting critical infrastructure from Russian unmanned aerial vehicles and set clearer rules for the use of interceptor drones. The industry outlet Unmanned Airspace reports this, citing Ukraine's Ministry of Defence.

What changes

Under the revised rules, participating companies may provide air-defence protection to other businesses' facilities under contract. Air-defence assets can also be transferred between companies, provided the companies and the Air Force Command take a joint decision.

The amendments also regulate interceptor drones: they set out how companies may use warheads and electric detonators. Crewed aircraft can now be included in private air-defence groups as well.

Scale of the programme

The programme operates under military command and forms part of Ukraine's unified air-defence system. According to the Ministry of Defence, nearly 100 companies had joined by mid-October. Their groups had destroyed more than 60 aerial targets, including Shahed-type attack drones and Zala reconnaissance UAVs.

The initiative aims to strengthen protection for company staff, production sites and energy infrastructure that Russian UAVs regularly target. At the same time, it increases air-defence capacity without adding to the burden on the armed forces.