Deputy chief commander of Ukraine's Armed Forces appointed commander of new Unmanned Systems Forces

Vadym Sukharevskyi, deputy commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, was appointed the commander of the newly-created Unmanned Systems Forces on June 10, the General Staff reported.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov signed the decree on June 10, the General Staff said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree creating a separate branch of Ukraine's Armed Forces dedicated to drones on Feb. 6.

The Unmanned Systems Forces were created to improve Ukraine's work with drones, creating special drone-specific units, ramping up training, systemizing their use, increasing production, and pushing innovation.

As the deputy commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, Sukharevskyi was responsible for the unmanned systems and the development of their usage on Ukraine's battlefield.

Drones have been a key tool in Ukraine's defense against Russia's war. President Volodymyr Zelensky said in January that surpassing Russia in drone operations is one of the top priorities in 2024.