Private air defense forces shot down a Shahed drone for the first time — Fedorov
A private air defense system successfully intercepted a “Shahed” drone traveling at a speed of over 400 km/h for the first time. The incident occurred in the skies over the Kharkiv region. Plans are in place to expand the project in the future.
This was reported with reference to a statement by Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
"We are continuing to develop the private air defense project. A private air defense group in the Kharkiv region is actively shooting down Shaheds; in particular, the first downing of a jet drone has been recorded," the minister’s statement reads.
As Fedorov noted, the emergence of jet drones signifies a new level of threat, as such targets are faster and more difficult to intercept.
He emphasized that private air defense groups, which help protect critical infrastructure, have become one of the key elements in strengthening defense. The goal of the project is to rapidly scale up capabilities without placing an additional burden on combat units.
As of now, private air defense groups are in place at 19 enterprises.
"Private air defense groups are currently being formed at 19 enterprises. They are integrated into the Air Force’s unified command system and operate as part of the overall air defense architecture," said the Defense Minister.
The next step, according to Fedorov, will be to scale up the project to improve effectiveness—increasing the number of targets shot down and the speed of response to threats.
Air defense forces have destroyed 147 out of 172 Russian drones, with hits reported in several regions.
In the Desnianskyi district of Kyiv, law enforcement officers discovered the warhead of a Russian Iskander-K missile. A controlled destruction of the munition is planned at the site.
On the night of April 15, three people were injured in Dnipro and the surrounding region as a result of Russian drone strikes, and damage to civilian infrastructure was reported.
