Zelensky Issues Order to Establish Separate Military Unit for Drones in Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, ordered on Tuesday, February 6, the formation of a separate branch within the Ukrainian Armed Forces for military drones. He and Ukrainian military officials state that drones are vital weapons for the war against Russia and for the defense of the country. In his order, Zelensky requested the government and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to prepare for the establishment of a separate force for the country's drone systems. In his nighttime video address announcing this news, the Ukrainian president said that drones have demonstrated their effectiveness on the battlefield, on land, in the sky, and at sea. Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Minister of Digital Transformation, stated that this new separate branch will be a "powerful driver" for the development of military technology. He added that drones changed the battlefield situation last year and played a significant role in halting the Russian invasion and supporting the counteroffensive of Ukrainian forces. Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly emphasized the importance of developing and producing drones domestically and with the help of partner countries as a key element in the war against Russia. The Ukrainian president recently stated that the country will produce one million drones this calendar year. According to Ukrainian officials, the country intends to produce tens of thousands of drones each month. Although there are currently no statistics on drone production within Ukraine, dozens of companies have been researching, developing, and producing these weapons since the war began.