Russia copies Ukraine's battlefield innovation, creates unmanned systems forces — Syrskyi
Photo: Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (facebook.com/CinCAFofUkraine)
Russia has created separate drone forces modeled on Ukraine's approach and plans to scale them up in the coming years, says Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"Thanks to our military intelligence, we know that the enemy has no less ambitious plans. The Russians have followed our path and created separate drone forces that already number 80,000 personnel," Syrskyi said.
According to him, Russia plans to increase the size of these forces to 165,500 in 2026 and to nearly 210,000 by 2030.
"We also know that Russia's state defense order for long-range drone production was fulfilled at 106% over the past year, and the aggressor state's military-industrial complex is producing more than 400 such UAVs per day," the statement said.
Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) are a separate branch within the Armed Forces of Ukraine, created to centrally deploy drones in the war against Russia. The SBS integrates aerial, maritime, and ground unmanned platforms and plays a key role in asymmetrical deterrence, compensating for shortages in aviation and artillery.
In June 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree approving the National Security and Defense Council's decision to establish the Unmanned Systems Forces in Ukraine.
It is worth noting that the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in the seven months since their creation, the Unmanned Systems Forces have struck more than 168,000 Russian targets, with an estimated value of $20 billion.
Among the targets hit were 532 tanks, around 2,500 guns and howitzers, nearly 7,700 vehicles, and more than 5,500 motorcycles. In addition, the SBS says it has attacked over 350 targets directly on Russian territory.
