During a meeting on October 20, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude to Norway and announced progress on three defense projects. “We see light at the end of the tunnel, as they say. There is very good positivity,” he stated.
The first project focuses on enhancing Ukraine’s defense against Russian Shahed drones, which Zelensky indicated would show results in approximately one and a half to two months.
The second initiative involves the development of the Freyja anti-ballistic system. Zelensky believes in its potential success but did not divulge specific details, stating, “Let everything arrive – all that we have developed,” emphasizing the importance of the project.
Regarding the third project, Zelensky hinted it relates to air defense and satellite communication, promising to share more information later.
Context
- Zelensky first mentioned the creation of the anti-ballistic system in April of this year in collaboration with European nations.
- In May, Denis Shtilerman, co-owner and chief designer of Fire Point, announced the company’s participation in the anti-ballistic coalition and presented the Freyja project, aiming to establish a unified air and missile defense system focused on intercepting ballistic missiles, expected to integrate with other NATO air defense systems using the Link-16 standard.
- In July, Zelensky expressed hope that Ukrainians would see Freyja operational within the next 12 months.
- The first phase of testing is anticipated to commence by the end of December 2026, with full-scale production and deployment planned for 2027.
