Ukrainian Military Commander Calls Drone Key To Leading Russia's Superior Number Of Troops

Ukrainian drone forces. (Wikimedia Commons/Obviously

JAKARTA - The development of unmanned aerial vehicle systems or drones is key to giving Kyiv the advantage over Russia, which is considered superior in numbers, said Ukrainian Military Commander Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi.

"Development of the use of unmanned systems is my priority," Syrskyi said via Telegram after meeting with his deputy, Vadym Sukharevskyi.

"We are looking for an asymmetric solution to gain a qualitative advantage over an opponent who is more numerically superior," he said.

The increasing use of drones by both sides has shifted conflicts from battlefield to attacking each other's military infrastructure, energy, and transportation from each side.

As part of the military reform, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February ordered the formation of a separate branch of the Ukrainian armed forces devoted to drones. Sukharevskyi is tasked with developing unmanned systems and their use by soldiers.

Separately, military analysts say drones have the potential to give Ukraine a technological advantage over Moscow, given the lack of artillery shells and other traditional weapons. However, the Russian drone industry is also growing rapidly.

As drones become smaller, more deadly and can travel further, Ukraine has used a number of drones to attack oil refineries in Russia in recent months, reducing its ticketing capacity by about 7 percent in the first quarter.

Most recently, Ukrainian intelligence sources said the country's long-range attack drone, launched by SBU, successfully hit 12 Russian oil refineries during the war so far.

"The agency continues to implement strategies to weaken Russia's economic potential and reduce the flow of petro dollars used by its enemies for war," the source said.

"In total, the SBU drone has recently successfully attacked 12 oil refineries in Russia," he said.

This figure does not include operations carried out by Ukrainian GUR military intelligence agencies, which also attacked refineries with drones, the second intelligence source said.

Official Russian media reported drones have attacked refineries in many areas in recent weeks, including the Rosneft refinery. Oil and petroleum products are an important source of income for Russia, which exports it to many countries in the world.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's air and sea drone attacks against Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea, some of which have succeeded, have also prompted the Russian Ministry of Defense at the weekend to pledge to protect the fleet from future attacks.

As the Ukrainian military lost to the number of weapons on the battlefield, Moscow forces stepped up pressure along the front lines and made gradual progress.

President Vladimir Putin said Moscow forces had advantages on the battlefield of Ukraine, pledging to continue its military operations.