Private air defense downs jet-powered Shahed drone for first time: MoD reveals details

"We continue to develop the private air defense project. A private air defense group in the Kharkiv region is actively shooting down Shaheds, including the first confirmed interception of a jet-powered drone," the minister said.

According to Fedorov, the emergence of jet-powered drones marks a new level of threat, as such targets are faster and more difficult to intercept.

He emphasized that one of the key elements in strengthening defense has been private air defense groups, which help protect critical infrastructure. The goal of the project is to rapidly scale capabilities without placing additional strain on combat units.

As of now, private air defense groups have been established at 19 enterprises.

"Currently, private air defense groups are being formed at 19 enterprises. They are integrated into the unified command system of the Air Force and operate as part of the overall air defense architecture," the defense chief said.

According to Fedorov, the next step will be to scale up the project to increase effectiveness — boosting both the number of intercepted targets and the speed of response to threats.

Private air defense units have, for the first time, shot down a jet-powered Shahed drone flying at a speed of over 400 km/h. The incident occurred in the skies over the #Kharkiv region, according to a statement by Ukraine’s Defense Minister @FedorovMykhailo pic.twitter.com/9BL4prg4kM

— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) April 17, 2026

Private air defense in Ukraine

The idea of allowing critical enterprises to participate in air defense independently was first proposed last year, when the Ministry of Defense was headed by Denys Shmyhal.

At the beginning of March, the government officially authorized the launch of the relevant pilot project.

Later, the Ministry of Defense reported the first successful results of private air defense units, which have already begun carrying out combat missions.