President Zelensky Orders Formation Of Drone Branching In Ukraine's Military

Ukrainian drone forces on the battlefield. (Wikimedia Commons/Obviously

JAKARTA - President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday ordered the formation of drone branching in the Ukriana armed forces, weapons he assessed and military officials are essential to confront Russia on the battlefield.

It was marked by the signing of a cap by President Zelensky calling on the government and general staff of the armed forces to "resolve the issue of forming separate troops for drone systems in the Ukrainian armed forces".

"I have just signed a mission that will launch the formation of separate branches in our armed forces, drone branching," President Zelensky said in his evening video address.

"This is not a question for the future. On the other hand, it should provide tangible results in the near future. This year should be decisive in many aspects. And it is clear on the battlefield. The drone system has demonstrated its effectiveness on land, sky and in the ocean," he explained.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Minister of Digital Transformation said separate branches would provide a "strong push" for the development of military technology.

Last year, he said, drones "foundly have changed the situation on the battlefield. They were effective in stopping Russian attacks and supporting the counterattack of the Ukrainian armed forces."

Based on President Zelensky's decision, the results of the research will be submitted to the National Security and Defense Council which makes policies.

President Zelensky called drones and their domestic production and with partner countries a key element in fighting Russia since the Moscow invasion two years ago this month.

In December, President Zelensky promised Ukraine would produce one million drone units by 2024.

Government officials say Ukraine is targeting to produce tens of thousands of drones every month. No figures regarding current production are available, but since the start of the war, drone production has increased, with dozens of companies developing and producing different models.

Separately, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, whose position was questioned given the disagreement with the president, said in his comments to CNN last week that drones were critical in the implementation of war.

"Most importantly, unmanned systems, such as drones, along with other types of sophisticated weapons, provide the best way for Ukraine to avoid a positional war, where we have no advantage," wrote Zaluzhnyi.