An order has been signed appointing Pavlo “Lazar” Yelizarov, commander of the Lasar’s group unit, as deputy commander of the Ukrainian Air Force. He will be responsible for the development of small-scale air defense and the interception of enemy drones.
The appointment was announced by Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
Pavlo “Lazar” Yelizarov was appointed to the new position as part of decisions to transform the Ukrainian air defense system amid growing air attacks from Russia. It is noted that in 2025, Russia launched up to 100,000 strike drones of various types against Ukraine, resulting in damage to critical infrastructure, numerous hits on residential buildings, and civilian casualties.
The new deputy commander of the Air Force will be responsible for the development of small air defense and the construction of a drone interception system. This involves the formation of a large-scale anti-drone system that will destroy air threats as they approach, rather than reacting after strikes.
“Our task is to build an anti-drone dome over Ukraine. A system that does not react after the fact, but destroys the threat as it approaches. This requires people who have already proven their effectiveness in modern warfare. Lazar is one of those people,” the statement said.
Pavlo Yelizarov headed the Lasar’s group unit, which is considered one of the most effective in the Defense Forces. During his leadership, the unit destroyed more than $13 billion worth of enemy equipment. According to the data provided, every fifth Russian tank destroyed is the result of this group’s work, and within the framework of the “Army of Drones. Bonus,” the unit was consistently among the leaders.
The main task of the new direction is to scale this experience and create a system that will work at the national level.
“We have to change our approaches, structures, and work logic so that the technologies actually work on the battlefield and don’t just remain in presentations. The results won’t be seen tomorrow, but we are building the system today. The anti-drone dome is not about the future. It’s about survival today and the possibility of Ukraine’s development even during wartime,” Fedorov wrote.
It is also reported that new personnel appointments are expected in the near future as part of strengthening teams in the defense sector.