Protecting Ukraine’s Critical Infrastructure from Drone Threats: The Role of Security and Defence Forces

In the current conditions of the growth of technological threats, the problem of protecting critical infrastructure (CI) facilities from UAVs is gaining particular importance.The growing use of UAVs in various fields, namely, military conflicts, intelligence activities, terrorist attacks and sabotage, creates new challenges for the national security systems of Ukraine.In the context of the ongoing aggression against Ukraine, uncrewed aerial vehicles have become one of the key means of conducting combat operations, reconnaissance, and sabotage activities.The study examines the growing threat of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Ukraine's critical infrastructure (energy, transport, defence) amid ongoing hybrid warfare.UAVs are increasingly used for strikes, reconnaissance, and sabotage, demanding urgent improvements in detection, neutralisation, and legal frameworks.The research analyses technical solutions (electronic warfare, AI-driven systems), regulatory gaps, and interagency coordination challenges.Findings highlight the need for a multi-layered defence combining electronic countermeasures, air defence, and cyber capabilities, alongside updated laws to regulate UAV use.International cooperation and advanced technologies (swarm interceptors, sensor networks) are identified as critical for resilience.The study proposes legislative reforms, enhanced interagency synergy, and adoption of global best practices to fortify Ukraine's infrastructure against evolving drone threats.