Ukraine is increasingly turning to private air-defence companies to protect factories, energy sites and other critical infrastructure from waves of Russian attack drones. What began as a pilot programme last year has grown into a formalised channel: companies can register with the Defence Ministry, gain authorisation and be plugged into the air force’s command-and-control system to supplement state air defences.
Twenty firms have registered so far and at least two are already operating on the ground. Their approaches vary by client and threat profile. One provider, Carmine Sky, describes a multilayered “onion” of protection that can include interceptor drones and automated turrets equipped with heavy machine guns. Staff in its control room monitor the skies for incoming threats, using gamepad-style controls and screens in a dimmed, camouflaged setting.
The private units do not act independently. They must be authorised by the Ministry of Defence before beginning operations and are integrated into military command structures. According to company representatives, target identification and the decision to open fire remain under military authority; private teams execute under that direction.
The shift to private providers responds to the persistent threat posed by thousands of relatively low-cost, long-range attack drones that Russia launches across Ukraine. While many drones are intercepted by state systems, those that penetrate defences have caused major damage to military installations, industrial sites and energy infrastructure, with consequences for civilian life.
Defence officials have pointed to early successes involving private units, including credited interceptions in the Kharkiv region and the downing of a jet-powered Shahed drone. To join a private air-defence unit, civilian recruits undergo a thorough vetting process that includes polygraph testing, repeated every quarter, according to company representatives.
Training pathways vary. One firm, Gvardiia, says it can train a drone-interceptor pilot from scratch in roughly three weeks for recruits with no prior experience. Candidates who don’t qualify as pilots are reassigned to roles as spotters or technicians. Gvardiia also draws heavily on volunteer air-defence formations with combat experience, calling those volunteer units “the backbone” of its recruitment and training pipeline.
These private groups aim to complement rather than replace Ukraine’s traditional air-defence architecture. Their local focus — protecting specific industrial sites, power plants and regional infrastructure — is intended to relieve pressure on strategic, state-run systems. Duty schedules are often organised to accommodate civilian jobs, giving recruits flexibility while maintaining continuous coverage for client facilities.
As the programme expands, Ukraine is formalising the legal and operational framework for private air-defence operators: registration, ministry authorisation, military integration, strict vetting and regular oversight. For businesses and communities under persistent drone threat, the new private layer offers another practical line of defence.