Colonel Yurii Ihnat, head of the Communication Department of the Ukrainian Air Force Command, addressed pressing questions about the evolution of military technologies, including laser weaponry and the current state of russia's combat aviation fleet.
According to Yurii Ihnat, there is currently no confirmed evidence that russia is using laser weapons to target Ukrainian drones. While such claims have occasionally surfaced in public discourse, Ukrainian military intelligence and operational monitoring have yet to verify their actual deployment in the ongoing war.
Read more: Once Promised to Ukraine, DragonFire Combat Laser Needs Two More Years and €1.2 Bln to Enter Production
However, Yurii Ihnat did not dismiss the concept entirely. He emphasized that laser weapons are a realistic part of future arsenals, noting that several countries have already adopted them.
"This is the weapon of the future," he stated, underscoring the ongoing global development and integration of high-energy laser systems into military frameworks.
Despite their promise, laser weapons are not a silver bullet. Yurii Ihnat pointed out that there is no universal weapon system that fits all battlefield scenarios. Instead, future conflicts will likely feature a combination of traditional and advanced technologies, including manned aircraft, unmanned systems, and directed-energy weapons.
This layered approach reflects the increasing complexity of modern warfare. Rather than replacing existing systems, new technologies will complement them, creating integrated networks of capabilities that adapt to a wide range of threats and missions.
Yurii Ihnat also touched on the declining size of russia's tactical aviation fleet. Though he did not provide exact figures during the broadcast, his comments align with ongoing assessments by Ukraine and its allies: that russia's air power, while still formidable, is gradually being eroded by sustained combat losses and logistical challenges.
As Defense Express previously reported, russian forces have acknowledged using Chinese-made combat laser system, identified as the Low‑Altitude Laser Defense System, and released video footage showing it in action. The system, reportedly capable of neutralizing drones with a 10-20 kW beam and engaging targets up to 1.5 km away, marks a significant step in deploying directed-energy weapons on the battlefield.
Russians release video of Chinese Low-Altitude Laser Defending System (LASS) used to shoot down Ukrainian UAVs in combat zone pic.twitter.com/49iBwWmcvm
— MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) May 31, 2025
Read more: russians Confirm Use of Chinese Combat Laser, Release First Footage in Action
