Kuleba: Ports form their own air defense groups

Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksii Kuleba reported this on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.

"Special air defense groups are working effectively in Ukrainian ports. These are units formed from company employees—mostly veterans of the full-scale war. We already have the first shoot-downs," the statement said.

Kuleba emphasized that state enterprises are directly involved in protecting critical infrastructure, while organizationally the units are subordinate to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Today, ports remain among the key targets of Russian attacks. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, more than 900 port infrastructure facilities have been damaged or partially destroyed, including 177 civilian vessels. The intensity of drone attacks is increasing: while 75 UAVs were recorded in the first four months of last year, this year there have already been more than 800.

Despite this, the ports continue to operate—since the beginning of 2026, nearly 30 million tonnes of cargo have been processed.

As reported, within the experimental project, 25 Ukrainian enterprises are already completing the formation of their own air defense groups.

Illustrative photo