- December 2, 2025
- 8:38 pm
- Ukraine
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved a new order that officially allows private companies — primarily critical infrastructure — to create their own air defense units for the first time. The decision is in effect as an experimental project until January 19, 2026, after which the Ministry of Defense will need to provide a report and propose a further model.
This is a step that can significantly enhance the protection of energy, communications, transport, and industrial facilities — those that Russia systematically targets.
Legally, such a plan was approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 699 “On the implementation of an experimental project to strengthen the air defense of Ukraine’s territory by involving air defense groups” dated June 11, 2025.
Information about “private air defense” has only surfaced now because the basic Cabinet resolution No. 699, adopted on June 11, 2025, was only a framework and did not provide a mechanism for business participation. Only after internal orders from the Ministry of Defense and a statement by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine on November 19, 2025, did the scheme effectively start working, which led to widespread news publications.
In a statement on November 19, 2025, published by Reuters, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that energy, communications, and transport enterprises will be able to create their own air defense groups and receive appropriate protective means, but they will operate strictly under military command and only after personnel verification and coordination with the Ministry of Defense.
Who can create private air defense
Formally — “any legal entities” that pass verification and receive the status of an authorized structure. In practice, priority is given to:
energy sector companies,
transport and logistics facilities,
communication operators,
enterprises with critically important infrastructure.
The key principle is that the company finances the creation of its air defense group itself. The state does not allocate funds but ensures coordination and control through the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
How the mechanism works
To create its own air defense unit, a company must go through several official stages:
1. Application submission to the Ministry of Defense
Checks include: absence of ties with Russia, legal status, ability to legally acquire protective means, availability of licenses (e.g., security), and security of weapon storage.
2. Coordination with regional Air Force command
Without written coordination, private air defense cannot be created. The command determines the permissible list of weapons, areas of responsibility, and interaction procedures.
3. Formation of the unit
The company appoints commanders, recruits staff, formalizes them under employment contracts, conducts medical examinations, psychological checks, and background checks. Foreigners can participate only with coordination with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
4. Training and certification
The Armed Forces of Ukraine conduct personnel training, including working with drones, electronic warfare means, radars, and surveillance systems. Without confirmed training, private air defense is not allowed to operate.
5. Coordination and reporting
The unit operates exclusively under the commands of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, not at its discretion. Daily reporting, duty schedules, and constant exchange of operational information are maintained.
What private air defense groups can use
The full list is not publicly available — it is determined by the military in each specific case.
However, according to official government explanations, it includes:
surveillance systems,
short-range radars,
interceptor drones,
electronic warfare systems (EWS),
small arms against UAVs,
special complexes against small drones.
Heavy weapons like “Buk” or NASAMS are obviously unavailable to private structures — they remain exclusively at the disposal of the state air defense.
Why Ukraine needs private air defense
There are several reasons:
1. Relieving the armed forces
The state air defense focuses on large cities, strategic facilities, and the frontline zone.
The business, according to the government’s plan, will be able to take on the defense of local facilities.
2. Increasing the resilience of critical infrastructure
Russia regularly attacks energy nodes, logistics centers, telecom towers — many of them currently lack their own air defense.
3. Quick response to small drones
Most drone strikes occur very low and fast — local private air defense will be able to respond instantly.
4. Legalization and organization of what was already happening
Essentially, the state is simply formalizing initiatives that were already emerging spontaneously — now they will be under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
What risks experts note
Despite the optimism, some analysts point out potential threats:
risk of uncoordinated actions with low training levels;
danger of improper use of EWS equipment;
need for strict control over the storage of weapons and special equipment;
possible competition or “pulling” of personnel from military units;
likelihood of errors in combat conditions.
The main argument of critics: air defense is one of the most complex areas, and business must strictly work only under military management to avoid incidents.
What will happen next
The experiment will be one of the largest tests of interaction between the Ukrainian state and the private sector in the defense sphere.
If successful, Ukraine may gain:
a flexible distributed network of protective points,
reduced load on state air defense,
more resilient energy and communication infrastructure.
If not, the model will be reviewed in 2026.
In any case, private air defense groups do not replace the state system but only expand its capabilities in the context of large-scale war and constant drone and missile attacks.
