Ukraine's Air Force explains rate of Shahed UAV interception by drone-based air defence crews

Units are currently being set up in a new service branch within Ukraine's Air Force – the Close Air Defence Forces, also known as "small" air defence. Many of the new crews are still undergoing training and do not yet have enough equipment to demonstrate results.

Source: Colonel Yurii Ihnat, Head of the Communications Department of the Air Force Command, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda

Quote: "The Air Force has already formed many units of the type referred to by Colonel Pavlo Yelizarov [in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda] – more than 300. There are some crews that already have a lot of experience and are operating quite effectively, and there are others that are only at the formation stage and are gaining experience, training and obtaining the equipment they need. That's why there is such a difference. [In the interview with Ukrainska Pravda, Yelizarov said the Air Force has over 300 interceptor crews, but only 66 of them have downed more than 10 Russian Shahed drones per crew over the year, while 170 have not downed any – ed.] This is entirely logical and should not be presented in headlines as something shocking, as we have only just begun this process; it is gradually expanding and scaling up.

And most importantly, we aren't talking about a calendar year but about this year – 2026! A year ago there were only a few interceptor crews within the Air Force due to certain problems with equipment and other circumstances.

For example, the 1020th and 1021st Anti-Aircraft Missile and Artillery Regiments of the Ground Forces recently joined the Air Force. They have quite experienced crews – masters of interception. Their experience will certainly be useful for the new Air Force crews. Meanwhile, in Kharkiv Oblast, interceptor crews from the Air Force's 302nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade are already being trained in drone interception by units from the National Police, which is also forming anti-aircraft drone crews."

Details: Ihnat said the percentage of Russian loitering munitions that are downed by interceptor UAV crews can vary depending on the tactics used, weather conditions and other factors. For example, during Russia's attack on 30 April, interceptor drones accounted for 50% of the Russian UAVs shot down.

The Air Force spokesperson noted that the new service branch, the Close Air Defence Forces, was established in autumn 2025 and was initially called the Air Defence Unmanned Systems Command. The first anti-aircraft drone crews were formed within the Ground Forces and the Unmanned Systems Forces and operated mainly in the south and on the eastern front.

Ihnat explained that these crews have had more time, experience and technical support, including the means required to detect Russian UAVs, such as radars, without which engaging aerial assets is effectively impossible.

Divisions of the Close Air Defence Forces have now been set up under each air command and are still at the formation stage. Recruitment advertisements have been posted on social media.

Ihnat stressed that these units will be scaled up across the entire country and provide drone-based air cover (anti-aircraft UAVs) nationwide, creating a layered drone air defence system.

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