Communities will be able to directly fund local civil defense groups – Svyrydenko
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has made significant changes to the pilot project on the creation of mobile air defense units within the volunteer formations of local communities, which has been in effect in the country since June 2025. The main goal of this decision is to significantly improve the effectiveness of Ukraine’s air defense at the local level and to mobilize additional resources.
This was announced by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. The approved update will allow communities to respond more quickly to ongoing air threats and independently strengthen the security of critical infrastructure facilities, without placing an additional burden on the regular combat units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The changes approved by the government include several important innovations:
Direct funding from local authorities — local self-government bodies are now officially joining the project and have the legal right to fund air defense groups within their volunteer formations directly from local budgets.
Expansion of logistical support — local communities are officially permitted to allocate funds for paying monetary rewards to fighters, purchasing necessary technical equipment, vehicle fuel, modern unmanned aerial systems, and other equipment required for duty.
Cash bonuses for downed targets — the government has clearly established a transparent mechanism for calculating additional financial rewards for members of such groups, which will be paid for each officially confirmed hit or destruction of an enemy aerial target.
The Ukrainian Air Force will be responsible for the direct coordination of operations and the operational management of all established DFG groups. At the same time, all members of these mobile fire groups are required to strictly adhere to the regulations and statutes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine while performing combat missions.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a groundbreaking decision allowing Ukrainian companies to form their own air defense groups.
In the Zhytomyr region, an energy company has formed its own air defense group. It is already on combat duty and helping to defend the region’s skies.
