Minister of Defence signs order appointing Colonel Pavlo Yelizarov as Deputy Commander of the Air Force

The Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov, signed an order appointing Colonel Pavlo “Lazar” Yelizarov as Deputy Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with responsibility for the development of lower-tier air defense.

Today, no country in the world has the level of experience in countering aerial attacks that Ukraine does. Hundreds of enemy drones are launched every day and every night.

In 2025, russia launched up to 100,000 Shahed drones and other types of UAVs against Ukraine, damaging dozens of critical infrastructure facilities, hitting hundreds of residential buildings, and causing casualties. The number of attacks continues to grow, with the enemy aiming to destroy civilian infrastructure and plunge Ukraine into darkness.

“The world was not prepared for a war of this kind, but we must respond quickly, systematically, and technologically. That is why, at the President’s direction, we are changing our approach to protecting the sky. Transforming such a system cannot be done in a few days, but we must start now to ultimately address this challenge,” Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov stated.

Colonel Pavlo “Lazar” Yelizarov has been appointed as the new Deputy Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He will be responsible for developing lower-tier air defense and drone-interception capabilities.

The Minister said the objective is to establish an anti-drone shield over Ukraine: a system designed not to respond post factum, but to destroy threats while they are still en route. This calls for people who have already proven their effectiveness in modern warfare—and “Lazar” is one of them.

Under the leadership of Pavlo Yelizarov, the “Lasar’s Group” unit emerged as one of the most effective units within the Defence Forces. This team alone destroyed enemy equipment valued at more than $13 billion. One in every five destroyed Russian tanks is attributed to their work. The unit consistently ranks among the top performers in the “Army of Drones Bonus” program; in December alone, it destroyed 364 artillery systems and 12 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS).

Mykhailo Fedorov set the task of scaling up this experience and building a system that operates not as point solutions, but nationwide.

“Transforming the military is difficult when the enemy attacks daily. However, we have no choice. We must change our approaches, structures, and work logic to ensure technologies deliver real results on the battlefield, not just in presentations. The outcome will not be immediate, but we are building the system now,” the Minister emphasized.

He emphasized that the anti-drone shield is not a future concept, but a matter of survival today and Ukraine’s capacity to develop even amid war.

“I congratulate ‘Lazar’ on his appointment. We will continue to reinforce the team with those who have demonstrated results in the war, build on our strongest performers, and support the development of new leaders,” Mykhailo Fedorov said.