The authorities in the Ukrainian capital have announced that they will invest 260 million hryvnia (about $6.2 million) in the creation of a system for intercepting enemy drones, in order to protect the airspace over Kiev from increased Russian attacks. The funds will be used both to purchase equipment and to build an effective response system, the head of the city's military administration, Timur Tkachenko, was quoted by "Reuters".
"These funds will be directed not only at equipment, but also at a comprehensive response system," he said in a post on Telegram. According to him, a pilot project has already been implemented, which has proven its effectiveness, having managed to intercept almost 550 drones aimed at the Kiev region in recent months.
The authorities in Kiev are also considering additional funding outside the current budget, although specific amounts have not yet been announced.
Amid the ongoing deadly drone and missile attacks, Ukrainian leaders are stepping up their appeals for international assistance in the field of air defense. President Volodymyr Zelensky has emphasized the contribution of interceptor drones in repelling large-scale attacks and announced that the country is working to scale up this technology. The topic was also raised during the Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine, where Zelensky discussed investments in the sector with partners from the Netherlands, Germany and the United States.
In addition, a center for training interceptor drone operators will be opened in Kiev and its surroundings, and additional mobile defense units will be created.