The Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed over 83,000 enemy targets using drones in April 2025. This marks an 8 percent increase from March and represents a 5 percent rise in operational effectiveness, signalling the growing role of unmanned aerial systems in Ukraine’s defence against Russian aggression.
The figures were revealed by Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, General Oleksandr Syrsky, during a monthly strategic meeting focused on unmanned systems. He praised the success of Ukrainian drone operators, stating, “I am grateful to our soldiers for their effectiveness. But today’s high tech war demands we move forward constantly, aiming for even greater results and expanding our drone efforts.”
Ukrainian commanders leading drone units also shared their experiences at the meeting, contributing tactical knowledge and insights into improving both strike accuracy and operational coordination. According to General Syrsky, the combat expertise of these UAV operators and their suggestions for resolving technical and logistical issues are vital to enhancing Ukraine’s battlefield advantage.
The unmanned systems sector remains a key priority for Ukraine, enabling long range strikes that reduce risk to infantry while degrading Russian positions. Syrsky confirmed that efforts are underway to expand drone units into brigade and regimental levels. This includes boosting personnel, equipment, and command structures.
In addition to military scaling, training programmes for drone operators are expanding both in army centres and in cooperation with civilian institutions. Civilian schools are being used to train future UAV operators, strengthening collaboration between the defence sector and wider Ukrainian society.
A detailed roadmap has been drawn up to establish a structured collective training system for all UAV units. Among the top priorities is targeting Russian drone operators and their control systems. This strategic focus is intended to directly counter Russian unmanned capabilities and maintain Ukraine’s edge in drone warfare.
General Syrsky stressed that while Ukraine’s progress is significant, the Russian aggressor is also developing its drone capacity. “We must stay ahead of the enemy by using all tools at our disposal – our army, our society, our defence industry, and support from our partners,” he said.
