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Over 54,000 Russian targets were hit with Ukrainian drones in December, Syrskyi says

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Over 54,000 Russian targets were hit with Ukrainian drones in December, Syrskyi says
A member of Falcon unit sending Ukrainian drone Leleka to air in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast, on April 18, 2023. (Oleksandr Magula/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Ukrainian soldiers attacked more than 54,000 Russian targets with drones in December, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Jan. 5.

A total of 49% of the targets were struck by kamikaze drones, according to Syrskyi.

Throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine and Russia have heavily invested in drone technology, revolutionizing the way wars are fought.

Russia increased the number of drones with fiber-optic control channels, which pose a threat to military equipment during their movement, Syrksyi said.

According to the general, Ukrainian soldiers also started using fiber-optic FPV drones, "which expands the capabilities to defeat and destroy Russian military equipment and personnel."

The command also briefed Syrskyi on high-tech developments in the field of unmanned systems and electronic warfare and their use on the battlefield, as well as countering the latest models of Russian equipment.

"We are increasing the number of brigades with a reinforced unmanned component," the general said.

"We are finalizing the concept of using a separate unmanned systems brigade and its typical structure."

Various aerial, naval, and ground drones have been developed and often successfully used for reconnaissance, combat, and other tasks by Ukrainian troops.

Kyiv has delivered more than 200,000 domestically-produced drones to front-line units so far in December, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.

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Kateryna Denisova

Politics Reporter

Kateryna Denisova is the reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in Ukrainian politics. Based in Kyiv, she focuses on domestic affairs, parliament, and social issues. Denisova began her career in journalism in 2020 and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

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