Ukraine develops a larger, multi-layered ‘Iron Dome’ to counter mass Russian drone attacks
Ukraine is developing its own integrated air defense system, tentatively referred to as a Ukrainian “Iron Dome,” as Russia shifts its tactics for using Shahed attack drones by launching them in large groups. In response, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is preparing a new counter-drone system and building a comprehensive model for layered protection.
In an interview with journalist Yanina Sokolova, Deputy Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force Pavlo Yelizarov said Ukraine is working on a domestic, multi-layered air defense architecture that is informally being called a Ukrainian “Iron Dome.”
According to Yelizarov, the system will differ significantly from the Israeli model, primarily because of the sheer size of Ukraine’s territory.
He said it is impossible, both technically and economically, to fully shield the country using expensive air defense systems such as Patriot or IRIS-T alone. That is why Ukraine’s military leadership has approved the concept of a multi-tier air defense network made up of four components.
“It will differ from the Israeli one because our dome has to be much bigger. On our dome, let’s say, the Israeli dome would be a tiny speck purely in terms of size,” Yelizarov said.
He added that the Air Force is already working systematically to implement the concept. At the same time, the military is adapting its defenses to Russia’s evolving attack tactics. Yelizarov said a significant share of incoming drones is destroyed before reaching deeper into the country. By his estimate, up to half of enemy drones are shot down at the border or along the front line, where the most prepared Defense Forces units are deployed.
At the same time, Russia has changed its approach to using attack drones, launching them in large waves to overwhelm Ukraine’s defense system.
“They no longer fly in small groups. It’s like wild boars running through a forest, knocking down everything in their path. And this model will continue to intensify,” Yelizarov said.
He added that even deploying mobile fire groups in several layers does not guarantee complete interception. If, for example, 15 drones cross one sector at the same time, some of them may still break through.
That is why the Air Force has developed a new tactic for combating drones and is now gradually transitioning to it. The new approach is meant to fundamentally change how Ukraine responds to mass drone attacks.
As previously reported , Ukraine has become one of the world’s largest weapons producers. Analysts estimate that the country’s arms production reached about $12 billion in 2025, putting Ukraine at roughly 13th place among global manufacturers. The growth of the defense industry came despite the war, missile strikes and limited contracts.
Ukraine develops a larger, multi-layered ‘Iron Dome’ to counter mass Russian drone attacks #Ukraine
13.03.2026 14:07
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На ніч:
По стратегічній авіації активність відсутня.
Маємо пуски ударних БпЛА зі сходу та півдня, актуально для Харківської, Сумської, Херсонської областей.
Також маємо інформацію про наявність БК для балістичних Іскандерів на південному сході.
По флоту без активності.
10.03.2026 19:02
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⚡️ У Брянську красиво горить завод "Кремній Ел".
https://t.me/war_monitor/38088/
10.03.2026 16:11
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🇮🇱 Kan News claims that the United Arab Emirates has carried out strikes against Iranian targets for the first time.
🇨🇾 A kamikaze drone that hit RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus contained Russian-made Kometa-B navigation hardware, - The Times
08.03.2026 11:16
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💥🚀 Donetsk, FP-9 Pelican strike, hit the Geran-2 UAV storage facility, - Supernova
08.03.2026 11:28
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🇮🇷 Iran is trying to get enriched uranium from destroyed bunkers, - The Telegraph
After the bombings in June 2025, some of the nuclear materials ended up under the rubble of underground storage facilities in Isfahan, but Tehran may have access to them through narrow technical tunnels.
08.03.2026 11:34
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👀👀🔥 DroneBomber
08.03.2026 11:51
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💥 A loud explosion near the Saky airfield in Novofedorivka, Crimea, - Krymskyi Veter
08.03.2026 12:01
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🇳🇱🇺🇦 Zelensky: I am grateful to the Prime Minister of the Netherlands for such a symbolic visit – coming to Ukraine almost immediately after beginning his work at the head of the new Government.
I informed Rob Jetten about the situation on the battlefield and about the Russian attacks.
08.03.2026 12:48
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We need stable, steady support every day while the war continues. The Netherlands demonstrates exactly the kind of support that works most effectively – a predictable annual volume of €3 billion each year. The Netherlands is also investing in the PURL initiative.
08.03.2026 12:48
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☠️💀 Ussuriysk. There are no more empty spaces at the military section of the Novonikolskoye Cemetery in Primorsky Krai, where members of "SVO" are buried.
08.03.2026 13:16
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Believing that a man who filed bankruptcy SIX times is gonna save the economy is a whole new level of delusional.
08.03.2026 00:50
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🇭🇺⚠️ Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar said that Orban invited Russian GRU representatives to Budapest to influence the results of the upcoming elections.
Magyar called on Orban to expel Russian intelligence officers, ensure that Hungary remains a stable and predictable partner for its allies.
07.03.2026 17:28
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Moreover, we see information about Russian assistance to the Iranian regime: there are reports that the Russians are providing intelligence to the regime in Iran to adjust strikes on Americans.
07.03.2026 18:27
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🇺🇦 Zelensky: I thank every leader, every country that remembers the PURL program – the program that allows us to buy American missiles for air defense, for the “Patriots”. We all understand the risks of strikes from Iran and the need for missiles for air defense in the Middle East as well.
07.03.2026 18:27
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🇸🇪 Video of seizing the Russian shadow fleet vessel Caffa.
07.03.2026 19:00
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🕯🏒🇺🇦 As a result of the night enemy shelling, a player of the team "White Bars" 2017–2018 year of birth Gordiy Udovichenko died. His mother, Olena, a primary school teacher, died with him.
07.03.2026 19:15
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🇮🇷💥 Claimed as the detonation of a warehouse near the port of Bushehr in Iran after another US-Israeli airstrike.
07.03.2026 19:33
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🦩🦩🦅🦅🚀🚀 DroneBomber
07.03.2026 19:35
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🇺🇸🇮🇶 US embassy in Iraq's Baghdad has been hit by Katyusha rockets, Reuters reported, citing security sources.
The confirmation of the attack comes minutes after loud bangs were heard across the Iraqi capital.
07.03.2026 19:38
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❗️ Одеса - 5х БпЛА у напрямку міста з акваторїї ЧМ
06.03.2026 23:28
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An excellent piece on how we got here, why we got here and where everything could go...
28.02.2026 10:11
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💥👏 The Magyar birds spotted the BM-21 "Grad" operating on our positions and shot it down while it was still working.
28.02.2026 13:14
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🇺🇦❌🇮🇷 Exactly one year ago Khamenei addressed us in Ukrainian. The irony of fate…
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25.02.2026 15:30
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🔵🔹️Rep. Massie 👉🏽 “I've not seen any arrests from the revelations in the Epstein files 📂 Over two dozen people have resigned, CEOs, members of government worldwide. But I haven't seen any arrests or investigations here in the United States from this DOJ.” 🔵👇🏽🇺🇸✊🏽
25.02.2026 09:40
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