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Minister: Units supported by 'Army of Drones' hit record number of Russian artillery over last week

by Dinara Khalilova and The Kyiv Independent news desk October 2, 2023 5:07 PM 2 min read
An operator launches a drone during a press tour set to demonstrate the integration of AI into the process of humanitarian demining in Zhytomyr Oblast. (Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Ukrainian drone units supported by the "Army of Drones" initiative destroyed or damaged 69 towed artillery pieces and 17 self-propelled howitzers from Sept. 25 to Oct. 2, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov reported.

This is a record number of Russian artillery struck by drones procured through the initiative over one week, according to Fedorov.

"More damaged artillery means fewer shells (fired at) our military positions and front-line cities," he said on Telegram.

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In addition to artillery, the drones hit a total of 220 pieces of Russian military equipment in the past week, including 33 tanks, 41 trucks, and 37 armored fighting vehicles.

Ukraine's "Army of Drones" is a joint initiative of the Digital Transformation Ministry and the governmental UNITED24 fundraising platform. It was launched in July 2022, with Star Wars actor Mark Hamill as the initiative's ambassador.

In addition to procuring drones, the initiative is tasked with repairing drones and training soldiers on how to operate them.

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