Russia launched 2,800 jet-powered drones on Ukraine in August; combat colonel takes charge of Close Air Defence

A Ukrainian military official has revealed that Colonel Oleksandr Dmukhovskyi has recently been appointed commander of Ukraine's Close Air Defence, the branch responsible for protecting troops and critical facilities against aerial threats at short range.

Source: Colonel Yurii Ihnat, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda

Details: Yurii Cherevashchenko, Deputy Commander of the Air Force, will oversee Ukraine's Close Air Defence and coordinate this area within the Air Force.

According to Ihnat, the role of Close Air Defence is becoming increasingly important as Russia steps up its use of attack UAVs, particularly jet-powered drones, prompting the military leadership and Ukrainian defence industry to seek effective and practical ways to counter them.

The spokesperson said Russia launched around 350 jet-powered UAVs on Ukraine in June, 1,500 in July and more than 2,800 in August.

Quote: "The statistics speak for themselves – the enemy is ramping up the production and numbers of jet-powered UAVs. Countermeasures are being taken – all available assets and personnel are being deployed to shoot down or neutralise jet-powered drones, including fighter aircraft, short- and medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems, and electronic warfare systems.

Of course, the Close Air Defence – mobile fire groups and anti-aircraft interceptor drone crews – remains part of the integrated air defence system. There are certainly plenty of aerial targets for them. After all, reconnaissance UAVs, 'classic Shaheds' equipped with internal combustion engines, Gerberas and Parodiyas have not disappeared. There are fewer of them now, but a significant number are still being launched.

Personnel changes in the leadership are a normal and ongoing process, particularly during wartime. Brigade commanders and those appointed to higher posts are officers who have gained substantial experience in combat operations, demonstrated effectiveness, delivered results on the battlefield, understand the inner workings of the organisation, and are able to apply this experience on a larger scale. Take, for example, Oleksandr Dmukhovskyi, who was recently appointed commander of the Close Air Defence; prior to this, he led one of the finest regiments – the 1020th Anti-Aircraft Missile and Artillery Regiment, which boasts some of the highest records for shooting down enemy attack drones."

Details: According to Ihnat, the state leadership and the Ukrainian defence industry have come up with innovative ways to counter jet-powered UAVs, and these have already been unveiled. The Air Force will, of course, provide the facilities needed to test them, particularly jet-powered interceptors.

Read also: Life in Kyiv amid constant air-raid warnings as Russia shifts to jet-powered drones

Background:

• During Mykhailo Fedorov's tenure as Defence Minister, the Close Air Defence, which was being formed under the leadership of Pavlo Yelizarov, Deputy Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, was headed by Colonel Yevhen Khliebnikov.
• In late August, Ukraine's new Defence Minister, Yevhen Khmara, said Ukraine already has four potential interceptors capable of shooting down jet-powered Shaheds, all of which have undergone field trials.

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