Ukraine creates new command to counter Russian drone “safari”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ordered a significant strengthening of anti-drone defences in frontline cities to prevent Russian forces from carrying out what he described as a drone “safari” against civilians. The announcement was made in a post shared by Zelenskyy.

The president outlined the establishment of a new command structure dedicated to short-range counter-drone air defence, with clearly defined objectives for Ukraine’s Air Force and defence units.

“The main goal is to enhance protection against Russian drones in Kherson, Nikopol, and the border communities of the Sumy region, where Russian forces have conducted persistent ‘safari’ against civilians,” Zelenskyy said. “Every day, they strike residential buildings, ordinary infrastructure, and civilian transport. We need stronger protection and stronger action in response.”

A second priority is to scale up countermeasures against Shahed and other strike drones, including the establishment of additional defensive lines and protective layers.

The third task involves sharing the experience of Ukraine’s most successful units across the Armed Forces. Zelenskyy emphasized, “We need to expand the experience of successful units across the Defence Forces of Ukraine, so that every solution that has proven effective for one unit can be successfully applied by other Ukrainian units.”

In recent personnel changes linked to this initiative, Colonel Yevhenii Khlebnikov was appointed commander of the short-range air defence direction. He will operate under the supervision of Deputy Air Force Commander Pavlo Yelizarov (“Lazar”), whose appointment Zelenskyy approved on January 19.

These appointments form part of Ukraine’s broader effort to create an anti-drone dome over the country. Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stressed the urgency of destroying Russian drones before they reach their targets, noting that work on strengthening counter-drone capabilities is already underway.

By Vafa Guliyeva