Zelenskyy: Ukraine builds comprehensive air defence against missiles, drones

Ukraine is implementing a plan to establish a comprehensive shield against modern missiles and drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

Speaking to reporters, Zelenskyy acknowledged that at the start of the war, Ukraine’s air defences were vulnerable, particularly in the face of Russia’s substantial missile arsenal and the country’s limited Soviet-era systems, Caliber.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.

“Those systems were never a true shield. Nevertheless, we built the air defences we could, and we continue to strengthen them,” he said.

The president highlighted that Ukrainian experts have gained significant experience operating partner-supplied systems, including British and French technology, which has allowed Kyiv to adapt these tools to the demands of modern warfare.

According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s current air defence strategy involves multiple layers, incorporating advanced aircraft and interceptor drones.

Ukrainian firms are already producing such drones, including the OCTOPUS drone developed in collaboration with the United Kingdom, which will form part of the Sky Shield system.

By Aghakazim Guliyev