Ukrainian air defence school: how Kyiv teaches NATO to shoot down Russian drones

What happened

Atlantic Council analysts said that Ukraine has become a key instructor for allies in countering Russian drones: amid a wave of drone incidents in Europe, NATO countries are inviting Ukrainian specialists to joint training sessions and borrowing tactics developed at the frontline.

What kind of knowledge is transferred

It is about building a multi-layered anti-drone defence: a combination of intelligence and sensor networks (radar/acoustics/visual posts), mobile interception teams, saturation with cheap «interceptors» for small targets, and widespread use of electronic warfare. Ukraine's approach allows it to quickly adapt to new UAV models and Russian tactics.

Where exactly is Ukraine already «teaching»

Some states, such as Denmark and Poland, have initiated joint anti-drone training with Ukrainian instructors; the topic has become central to European security forums. In parallel, joint production of interceptors and UAVs for the needs of NATO armies is being discussed.

Why it works

Ukraine has been conducting a «full-scale drone war» since 2022 and has since turned low-cost technology into a system that disrupts enemy offensive formations and protects critical infrastructure. Combat experience makes it possible to reduce the threat → countermeasure cycle to weeks and scale solutions in the military. l

Reaction of allies

European and NATO leaders publicly acknowledge the uniqueness of Ukraine's experience and support the incorporation of these lessons into joint defence projects, from creating an «air shield» to strengthening the «drone wall» on the eastern flank. Ukraine offers briefings and training to its partners.

What's next

The Atlantic Council expects to see more training programmes, co-production, and rapid updating of NATO standards to reflect Ukrainian solutions - especially in countering massive UAV swarms and drone/missile strikes. For Europe, this is the path from vulnerability to resilience in the air.

Conclusion.

Ukraine has become a «drone superpower» not by definition, but by result: it is here that the practical school of air and missile defence against the drone threat is being formed, which is now being adopted by the Allies. Its integration into NATO standards will accelerate the closure of critical gaps in Europe's air defence.