A Ukrainian air-defense sergeant says missiles aren't his most challenging shortage. It's the gear that finds enemy targets.

MANPADS can stop Russian drones, missiles, aircraft, and helicopters.

AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko, File A Ukrainian sergeant said supporting gear is harder to get for his air defense unit than missiles.

It uses MANPADS that down Russian jets and aircraft, but needs batteries and ways to find targets.

Equipment like drone detectors and electronic warfare systems is "hard to get," he said.

The hardest shortage facing one Ukrainian shoulder-fired air-defense unit isn't necessarily missiles, its battery sergeant told Business Insider.

It's some of the equipment that helps crews find targets and keep their systems running.

The soldier, who uses the call sign Yankee, serves in a front-line unit equipped with man-portable air-defense systems , or MANPADS, which fire shoulder-launched missiles able to engage low-flying aircraft, as well as cruise missiles and drones.

Weapons like these, which include the US Stinger, Polish Piorun, and Soviet-designed Igla, have been a key part of Ukraine's short-range air defense in front-line areas, protecting troops and operations from attacks.

Yankee said that for him, at least, one of the hardest things "is finding resources.

Secondary resources, not the weaponry, but electronic warfare stuff." He said some of the devices that help his team detect threats and keep its equipment working are "hard to get." What is hardest to find is "mostly electronics." "I'm talking more about devices that locate the drones and warn you," Yankee said.

"I'm talking about stuff like EcoFlows, batteries, big batteries, because we have a shortage of them, just in general, just a mass shortage." Ukraine's soldiers are using drone detectors to pick up on incoming Russian drones.

Zoriana Stelmakh/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly using drone detectors, including small handheld or vehicle-mounted models, to warn of certain incoming enemy drones by detecting their radio frequencies .

EcoFlows are portable power stations that can power or recharge essential gear such as radios and communications equipment, Starlink terminals, laptops and tablets, drone equipment, electronic warfare systems, and sensors.

These, and batteries in general, are especially important because soldiers are often far from power outlets, and Russian attacks often shut down energy infrastructure.