Dmukhovskyi appointed commander of Ukraine's 'small' air defence forces
On 5 September 2026, Ukraine's Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat announced that Colonel Oleksandr Dmukhovskyi had been appointed commander of the Air Force's 'small' air defence forces. The appointment comes as Russia sharply increases its use of jet-powered strike drones, and follows leadership changes within the Air Force and the Ministry of Defence after the resignation of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
Key points
- Colonel Oleksandr Dmukhovskyi appointed commander of the Air Force's 'small' air defence forces on 5 September 2026
- The announcement was made by Air Force spokesperson Colonel Yuriy Ihnat in comments to Ukrainska Pravda
- Deputy Air Force Commander Yuriy Cherevashenko will oversee the overall development of the 'small' air defence direction
- The 'small' air defence command was announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in January 2026 as a separate structure within the Air Force
- Before Dmukhovskyi, the direction was led by Colonel Yevheniy Khliebnikov, who Volodymyr Kryvonozhko reportedly dismissed on 4 September, according to volunteer and former Fedorov adviser Serhiy Sternenko
- Russia's use of jet-powered drones rose from about 350 in June 2026 to roughly 1,500 in July and over 2,800 in August
Why it matters
The appointment formalises a command created in response to the rapid growth of Russia's jet-powered drone threat. With monthly drone launches rising from several hundred in June 2026 to nearly 3,000 in August, building a dedicated command for short-range air defence has become a priority for Ukraine's Air Force. The leadership change follows a turbulent summer that included the resignation of Defence Minister Fedorov, the departure of Deputy Air Force Commander Pavlo Lazar Yelizarov, and the reported dismissal of Khliebnikov.
What happened
On 5 September 2026, Air Force spokesperson Colonel Yuriy Ihnat told Ukrainska Pravda that Colonel Oleksandr Dmukhovskyi had been appointed commander of the Air Force's 'small' air defence forces — units focused on direct, close-range air defence against drones and other low-altitude threats. Deputy Air Force Commander Yuriy Cherevashenko will oversee the overall development of the direction. The appointment fills a position that had been led by Colonel Yevheniy Khliebnikov, who, according to volunteer and former Fedorov adviser Serhiy Sternenko, was dismissed by Air Force Commander Anatoliy Kryvonozhko on 4 September. The change comes against the backdrop of Russia's rapidly increasing use of jet-powered strike drones: roughly 350 in June 2026, around 1,500 in July, and more than 2,800 in August. To counter them, Ihnat said, Ukraine is using fighter aviation, short- and medium-range surface-to-air missile systems, and electronic warfare.
Where reporting differs
Sources differ on who deserves credit for creating the 'small' air defence command. One article credits the initiative to spokesperson Ihnat and frames Dmukhovskyi as the new commander of the direction, while the underlying facts tie the command's announcement to President Zelenskyy in January 2026. Reporting also varies on the chain of succession: some sources present Dmukhovskyi simply as Khliebnikov's replacement, while others add that Deputy Air Force Commander Pavlo Yelizarov filed for dismissal on 16 July following Fedorov's resignation, and that Kryvonozhko dismissed Khliebnikov on 4 September.
Background
President Zelenskyy first announced the creation of a dedicated 'small' air defence command within the Air Force in January 2026. The direction was initially shaped under Deputy Air Force Commander Pavlo Yelizarov and led by Colonel Yevheniy Khliebnikov. After Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov's resignation, Yelizarov filed for dismissal on 16 July, and on 4 September, according to Serhiy Sternenko, Air Force Commander Anatoliy Kryvonozhko dismissed Khliebnikov.