- July 9, 2025
- 9:58 pm
- Ukraine
The technical implementation of such a system in Kyiv is currently impossible due to the high density of development.
This was announced by the Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, Tymur Tkachenko, as reported on July 9, 2025 by Ukrinform.
“It was previously reported that Ukraine plans to implement the Israeli alert system, and Kyiv is supposed to become the first city where it will be tested. Is this project being implemented?”
“To date, according to my information, the military do not consider this format technically feasible. Due to the density of urban development and the specifics of threats – in particular, ‘Shahed’ drones, which already effectively act like rocket shells – there is no way to quickly and accurately distinguish the threat by district. Therefore, the implementation of local alerting is not being considered at this time.”
The Head of the KCMA emphasized that localized alerting, like that used in Israel, does not allow for effective coverage of all risk zones in a large metropolis. In addition, the characteristics of the threats – especially the kamikaze drone attacks by ‘Shaheds’ – significantly complicate the accurate prediction of target trajectories.
Tymur Firuddinovych Tkachenko (Azerbaijani: Teymur Firudin oğlu Məmmədov, born August 18, 1989, Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR, USSR) is a Ukrainian statesman of Azerbaijani origin, Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine (September 27, 2024 – December 31, 2024), member of the Supervisory Board of Ukrposhta (since November 25, 2024), former Deputy Minister of Strategic Industries (August 15, 2023 – September 10, 2024), and former Director of the Department of Urban Improvement of the Kyiv City State Administration Executive Body.
On December 31, 2024, by decree of the President of Ukraine, he was appointed Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration.
Oops… On October 6, 2024, Israel’s Ambassador to Ukraine, Mikhail Brodsky, stated that Ukraine had already received from Israel an early warning system for air attacks, and its implementation “is handled by the Ukrainian side.”
In February 2024, Israel’s Representative to the UN, Gilad Erdan, announced the transfer to Ukraine of the early warning system for rocket strikes and drone attacks.
Security question: why won’t the Israeli siren system take root here?
It seems paradoxical: in Israel, localized sirens save lives, but in Kyiv the same idea doesn’t work. Why won’t Ukraine’s capital be equipped with the “Israeli” alert system? Let’s break it down point by point.
The metropolis’s challenging geography
Kyiv is home to over 3 million residents, packed into a maze of high-rises and narrow streets. Deploying sirens so that every “ring” of the city is covered without “dead zones” is akin to building a subway in a lunar valley.
- Development density makes uniform placement of alert points impossible.
- Unpredictable threat routes – “Shahed” drones can change course at the last moment.
- Technological limitations: threat locations are determined with a delay.
Words from the front lines
“According to my data, the military do not consider this format technically feasible…”
— Tymur Tkachenko, Head of the KCMA
His words sound not just like a report but a warning: if you try to launch localized sirens, the opposite effect may occur – people will not trust the system.
List of practical “cons”
- Risk of false alarms. One incorrect calculation – and people will stop responding to the signal.
- High maintenance costs. Each siren requires inspection, repair, and protection from vandals.
- Integration complexity. Adding hundreds of devices to a single network without failures is practically impossible.
Table: comparative model overview
| Parameter | Israeli localized model | City-wide siren |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage area | Only a specific district | Entire city |
| Activation time | Depends on zone calculations | Immediate activation |
| Public trust | Decreases with errors | High |
| Technical complexity | Extremely high | Moderate |
| Required personnel | Large staff | Fewer |
How do people react?
Imagine you live in Poznyaky and the siren sounds somewhere far in Obolon. Would you pack your bags? Most likely not. People get used to ignoring what seems “foreign” and unclear.
That is exactly what NAnews – Israel News already wrote about when analyzing system tests in Kyiv.
Alternatives and hopes
- Mobile apps. The alert arrives more precisely, as everyone has a smartphone at hand.
- Enhanced radar networks for early detection of “Shahed” drones.
- Educational campaigns. Spreading knowledge about proper behavior during a city-wide alarm.
Conclusion: what next?
The good old city-wide signal is not a tribute to conservatism but a forced security measure. We await hybrid solutions that combine the best practices of both models.
What do you think: should we improve the existing system, or is it time to seek a radically new approach?
