Special air defense groups in Ukrainian ports shoot down first enemy drones

Special air defense units have begun operating in Ukrainian ports, formed according to a new model of interaction between the state and the military.

The Ministry of Development reports this.

Recall that earlier the government launched an experimental approach to protecting port infrastructure – state-owned enterprises, together with the military, form air defense units that are organizationally subordinate to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“In fact, we are talking about a new format in which civilian infrastructure becomes part of the defense system. The units are fully staffed by employees of state-owned enterprises, a significant part of whom are war veterans,” said Minister fro Development of Communities and Territories fo Ukrainet Oleksiy Kuleba.

According to him, this approach will already lead to effective interaction between the government, the state sector and the military and can be scaled up.

The need for such solutions is growing against the backdrop of increasing attacks on port infrastructure. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, more than 900 objects have been damaged or destroyed, including 177 civilian vessels. At the same time, the intensity of attacks has increased sharply – if in the first four months of last year 75 drones were recorded, then this year there are already over 800.

Earlier, USM said that the Cabinet of Ministers allowed critical infrastructure enterprises to join the air defense system.