00:00 21-01-2026

Ukraine’s Anti-Drone Dome Plan Faces Analyst Skepticism

Military analyst Vasiliy Dandykin doubts Ukraine’s plans for an anti-drone dome, calling it unrealistic given territory size, drone evolution and air defense limits.

Ukrainian authorities have announced plans to build what they describe as an «anti-drone dome» and to carry out a sweeping overhaul of the country’s air defense system. Military analyst Vasiliy Dandykin has weighed in on these statements, expressing clear skepticism about their feasibility.

In his assessment, the initiative looks more like a high-profile public relations campaign than a technically sound and realistic project. Dandykin pointed out that comparable systems already exist worldwide, yet none of them provide complete or guaranteed protection.

As an example, he cited Israel’s Iron Dome. Despite its advanced technology, it has repeatedly been penetrated by various strike systems, including those of Iranian origin. He also recalled U. S. President Donald Trump’s earlier idea of creating a so-called «Golden Dome» in the United States, noting that projects of this scale demand enormous financial, technological, and organizational resources.

Dandykin stressed that the territory under the control of the Kiev authorities covers roughly 500,000 square kilometers. Given this scale, building a continuous and airtight air defense shield is, in his view, virtually impossible.

Under such conditions, he believes Ukraine has little choice but to rely on electronic warfare tools, which can only partially reduce the effectiveness of drone attacks. He argued that talk of an all-encompassing dome over Ukraine serves mainly to demonstrate activity rather than reflect achievable results. According to the analyst, drones continue to evolve and are increasingly capable of bypassing electronic warfare systems and other countermeasures. He also emphasized that reconnaissance drones often operate in tandem with missiles, while ballistic, cruise, sea-based, and air-launched systems-including Iskander missiles-have also been upgraded, making the idea of fully countering them unrealistic.

The analyst also questioned the practicality of creating a 50-kilometer zone fully controlled by drones and air defense assets. He noted that Kiev continues to ask Western countries for additional air defense systems, but Europe has shown little readiness to rapidly expand such assistance, citing the escalation around Greenland and its own internal challenges.

Earlier, Vladimir Zelensky announced plans to establish an «anti-drone dome» in Ukraine and to fundamentally revise how air defense operates. According to him, the reforms would primarily affect the Air Force and so-called small-scale air defense, including changes in the use of mobile fire groups, interceptor drones, and other counter-drone tools. Kiev hopes the new approach will improve the effectiveness of drone interception and better adapt air defense to current conditions.