Ukraine Establishes Separate Branch of Military - Unmanned Systems Forces

Ukraine has started creating the Unmanned Systems Forces as a separate branch of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the relevant decree "On building up the capabilities of the defence forces" on 6 February. The creation of the Unmanned Systems Forces is intended to strengthen the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"This is not a matter of the future - it is something that should give a very concrete result in the near future. This year should be decisive in many aspects. And, obviously, on the battlefield," the President of Ukraine said in his address.

According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine has really changed the security situation in the Black Sea thanks to drones. Repelling assaults on the ground is largely the work of drones.

In turn, Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov noted that the creation of a new kind of force in the Armed Forces is an important step in the development of the Ukrainian army. He stressed that unmanned systems have already created an advantage for Ukraine on the battlefield.

Special staff positions to work with drones and special units will be created for the new type of troops. They will have to train effectively and systematise their experience. For its part, the state will constantly scale up production and attract the best ideas and specialists in this area.   

Currently, Ukraine is increasing production of its own drones of various types, including strike drones that can hit targets at a distance of more than 1,000 km. 

Ukraine's know-how in naval drones has allowed it to inflict significant losses on the Russian fleet in the Black Sea and push it further away from the Ukrainian border.  

As The Gaze previously reported, Ukraine will produce one million FPV drones in 2024. Civilians who are helping the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the war against Russia are involved in the production.