How The AFU Can Break The Russian Army
- 7.02.2026, 22:35
The Ukrainian army today faces many challenges.
The Ukrainian army faces many challenges today, as the enemy is constantly increasing the number of drones that it uses to attack Ukraine. Also, the enemy has an advantage in the number of personnel. However, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have a chance to meet these challenges.
This opinion was expressed in a conversation with "Channel 24" by Ukrainian Major, commander of the 1030 separate anti-aircraft missile division "Aquila" of the 3rd Army Corps Maksym Zaichenko, emphasizing what are the priority tasks facing the Ukrainian army. He named important steps that need to be implemented.
What abilities do Ukrainian forces need to build up?"
Zaychenko noted that Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov has set the task of eliminating 50,000 enemy live forces per month. And this figure is quite realistic.
"We were once told that it is unrealistic to shoot down Shaheds with anti-aircraft drones, but as it turned out, it is realistic. I am sure that just such a plan for 2026 will be realized: increasing the number of unmanned systems for defeat and the target of eliminating 50 thousand occupants. This was not just voiced, and has every chance of realization," - said the commander of the missile division.
There is also, in his opinion, an urgent need to increase the capacity for drones. In 2025, 55 thousand "Shaheds" and their imitators were fired on the territory of Ukraine. Accordingly, there is a need to increase the existing and create additional units and equip them with means of defeat. This requires the support of Western partners in providing weapons and equipment to the Ukrainian military.
- As for the direction of my work, I believe that the Ground Forces Air Defense on a level with the Unmanned Systems Force and the Air Force should become a full-fledged player in the fight against unmanned aerial vehicles. We do show high results of destruction efficiency, but the scaling of threats from the enemy is steadily increasing, - explained Maxim Zaichenko.
At the same time, standard surface-to-air missiles are expensive and they are available in small quantities. Therefore, it is necessary to create capabilities, to increase the so-called small air defense, which is what other branches of the military are doing.