Over the past year, the number of UAV crews in the Ukrainian army has increased 7-fold
The number of external drone crews in the Armed Forces of Ukraine increased sevenfold in 2024. This was announced by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov after a meeting with representatives of the Armed Forces, the State Special Communications Service and the Ministry of Defence.
Here's What We Know
The minister noted that due to systematic work, the number of UAV crews in the army has increased significantly, and the role of drones in modern warfare is becoming increasingly important. Based on this data, the Ministry of Defence determines the needs of the units and coordinates the activities of the State Special Communications Service, which is responsible for contracting and supplying drones.
In 2024, a significant number of different types of UAVs have already been transferred to military units: bombers, reconnaissance, FPV and others. Plans for December and the first quarter of 2025 were also discussed, including the supply of night drones and new DeepStrike drones capable of hitting targets behind enemy lines. Almost 30,000 drones have already been contracted.
The Ukrainian long-range drone Lutyi. Illustration: Wikipedia
The meeting analysed data on each military unit: how many drones are already in use, in storage, or lost. According to Umerov, supplying the brigades with drones is a priority, and the Ministry of Defence team is making every effort to ensure that the supply remains uninterrupted.
In addition, it is known that since the beginning of 2024, the Defence Forces have received more than 6,000 long-range strike drones. In particular, Lutyi, Firepoint and others are used for deep strikes. Most models of long-range drones remain classified for security reasons.
Source: Facebook
