CinC Syrskyi assesses Ukrainian Defense Forces advantage over Russia in FPV drones area

According to Ukrinform, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi announced this on Facebook.

“The development of unmanned systems is crucial to gaining an advantage over the Russian aggressor. And today we already have reason to assert that in this competition of technology, innovation, and manufacturing capabilities, Ukraine is at least on par with the enemy, and in certain areas, is ahead of it. In the area of FPV drones, the Ukrainian Defense Forces outnumber the enemy by a ratio of 1.5 to 1, and over the past few months, this advantage has continued to grow in our favor,” he stated.

According to Syrskyi, in May, the Ukrainian Defense Forces’ unmanned systems units struck nearly 180,000 verified enemy targets, which is 12.7% more than in April.

In particular, approximately 4,000 Russian Shahed-type drones were neutralized, which is 27% higher than the previous month’s figure. Additionally, approximately 10,000 positions of Russian unmanned aerial system operators were struck.

“Another result is also telling: since the beginning of 2026, Ukrainian drone operators have neutralized 12,500 more Russian occupiers than the Russian Federation has recruited into its armed forces during the same period,” the Commander-in-Chief emphasized.

He also noted that ground-based robotic systems are becoming particularly important on the modern battlefield. In particular, they are increasingly taking on tasks in the most dangerous areas and saving the lives of Ukrainian servicemen.

According to him, a significant portion of frontline logistics—including the delivery of ammunition and provisions, the evacuation of the wounded, and other support tasks—is now carried out using ground-based robotic systems.

“In May, ground robotic systems completed 12,500 missions. At the same time, their potential is much greater. We could significantly expand the scale of ground-based robotic system deployment, but since the beginning of the year, we have faced challenges in securing and supplying these systems,” the Commander-in-Chief emphasized.

He added that during the monthly meeting on the development of unmanned systems, they separately analyzed the implementation of the program to strike the enemy at the operational-tactical depth using Middle Strike assets.

“We are seeing positive progress in this area. In May alone, the Defense Forces carried out nearly 2,000 strikes using Middle Strike assets. In particular, 414 enemy headquarters, command posts, concentration areas, and other important enemy targets were struck,” Syrskyi noted.

In particular, he emphasized that the effective and massive strikes against enemy rear areas at distances of up to 200 kilometers became possible thanks to the creation of corresponding coordination centers within the corps. This has improved coordination between various units and components of the Defense Forces, ensured better coordination of efforts, and, as a result, achieved tangible results.

The Commander-in-Chief noted that “positive trends and good results should not lull us into complacency. We must continue to build the capabilities of unmanned systems, expand the scope of their use, and improve the quality of training for our specialists.”

“The enemy is also actively developing this area, copying our successful management and technological solutions, and seeking its own ways to improve. This is evidenced by both data from the battlefield and information provided by military intelligence,” he added.

At the same time, according to Syrskyi, the Russian Federation is facing serious difficulties in staffing its unmanned systems units. For instance, since the beginning of the year, only 14,500 people have been recruited to such units under contract, which is about 21% of the annual plan. The attempt to massively recruit students from higher education institutions for this work also failed to meet expectations.

The Commander-in-Chief also heard reports from representatives of brigades and corps regarding practical experience in deploying various types of unmanned systems under different conditions and in various areas—including strike and reconnaissance UAVs, and ground-based robotic systems, particularly amphibious robotic complexes.

“We separately discussed innovative solutions aimed at improving the effectiveness of our systems, countering enemy drones, and increasing the survivability of Ukrainian drones. I thank the soldiers of the Unmanned Systems Forces for their professional, effective, and extremely important work for the defense of the state,” Syrskyi concluded.

As reported by Ukrinform, June 11 marks the first observance of the Day of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This holiday was established pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 485/2026 of June 10, 2026, which took effect on the date of its publication.