General Staff allows businesses to form their own air defence units with AFU support

General Staff initiative: involving the private sector in air space defence

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the approval of a new mechanism that allows enterprises of any ownership form to form their own air defence groups. This initiative is being implemented as part of an experimental project aimed at integrating business resources into the system for protecting the Ukrainian sky with the direct assistance of the army.

Simplification of bureaucratic procedures

The relevant General Staff order defines a clear procedure under which such associations may operate radar stations, electronic warfare equipment, and other specialised technical equipment. As noted by the General Staff, the key objective of this document is to minimise unnecessary administrative barriers. Applications for permits to use air defence systems and for the assignment of radio frequencies must now be processed within five working days.

Status and operational rules

Enterprises whose applications are approved will acquire the status of special users of the radio frequency spectrum. Their activities will be governed by the same regulations as those applicable to military units. Importantly, such groups will not operate in isolation or outside the Defence Forces system. Each unit will be integrated into a unified location field and will work in close coordination with the Air Force of the AFU, carrying out orders from air defence command authorities.

Control and security

Groups are required to obtain permission or prohibition on engaging targets and to report on the results of their operations. Use is permitted only for types of equipment that have passed verification and been entered into the relevant official registers and lists. The General Staff emphasised that this approach combines business resources with centralised military command, which is expected to strengthen Ukraine’s overall air defence system.