"We need to take cover": Air Defense Commander Addresses Odessa Residents

A former programmer at one of Odesa’s major IT companies joined the Defense Forces after the full-scale invasion began and currently commands a battery of anti-aircraft UAVs in the “Sloboda” airspace defense detachment of the 11th Mykhailo Hrushevsky Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard. In August, his unit struck 270 aerial targets.

The battery commander, who goes by the call sign “Houston,” shared this information in an interview with Intent dedicated to the unit’s operations.

Until February 24, 2022, the soldier worked as a programmer at one of Odesa’s major companies. He joined the Defense Forces on March 10, 2022. According to him, he initially applied to the military registration and enlistment office, and later received an offer to join the Territorial Defense Forces and was assigned to the 11th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine.

He did not attend the “Houston” military preparatory course. In the military, he rose through the ranks from soldier to officer, later becoming a platoon commander, then a company commander, and now he leads a battery of anti-aircraft drone systems. Other units are also under his command.

According to the officer, in August, the “Sloboda” unit shot down 270 “Shaheds,” “Gerbers,” and other drones of this type. At the time of the interview, on September 17, the unit, he said, ranked second in Ukraine in terms of the number of “Shaheds” shot down in 2026. This ranking includes units at various levels—from batteries to regiments and brigades.

Separately, “Houston” spoke about his first confirmed shoot-down. It was a “Zala” reconnaissance drone, which he shot down during an operation in the Kursk region. The soldier recalls that he was nervous at the time, but felt euphoric after the hit was confirmed.

He also noted that taking down enemy drones has now become a daily routine for the unit. According to him, after each combat mission, the soldiers analyze the crews’ actions and look for mistakes to improve their effectiveness. Just on August 27, the unit, according to its commander, took down 34 aerial targets in a single day.

Among the main challenges, he cited the development of Russian drones, particularly the emergence of jet-powered “Shaheds.” He said the unit is awaiting new capabilities to counter them and hopes to begin effectively countering such targets in the coming months.

The officer addressed civilians separately. He urged them not to approach air defense positions, not to photograph or film their operations, and not to publish such information publicly. He also emphasized that during airstrikes, people should respond to the threat and take shelter.

According to him, even after a prolonged period of attacks, “Shaheds” should not be viewed as a safe or insignificant threat: individual drones can reach their targets, and their debris also poses a danger to people.

At the end of the interview, “Houston” said that, like everyone else, what he lacks for happiness is peace and quiet nights.

Андрій Колісніченко