Just add money - Ukrainian drone capacity surging.
Kyiv Independent: Ukraine able to produce over 3 million drones a year, ministry says
“Ukraine has the production capacity to produce more than 3 million drones a year, but requires financing from foreign partners, Deputy Strategic Industries Minister Hanna Hvozdiar said on July 30...
…”We have large enough production capacity, we can produce more than 3 million drones of various types today,” Hvozdiar said at a government-organized hackathon, as quoted by Suspilne.
Ukraine needs financing for the production of drones, as the state can only cover part of the budget. Funding from foreign partners, such as Canada, will help to cover the rest of the financing, Hvozdiar said.
According to Hvozdiar, Kyiv is also in talks with the U.K. to help purchase domestically-produced drones for the Ukrainian military.
In April, Denmark became the first country among Ukraine’s partners to buy weapons and equipment for Ukraine’s Armed Forces from a domestic manufacturer as part of a military aid package.
The same month, Canada announced it would donate $2.2 million to Ukraine’s drone production in collaboration with the U.K.
According to Strategic Industries Minister Alexander Kamyshin, foreign investment is needed because Ukraine’s defense industry has a capacity worth around $20 billion, but the state only has up to $10 billion to purchase weapons and equipment.
In June, the state-owned company Ukrainian Defense Industry, also known as Ukroboronprom, said it had launched the serial production of strike drones with a range of over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles).
The head of Ukrainian Defense Industry, Herman Smetanin, said that with the help of “private individuals,” the company was now able to “scale production” of long-range drones”
That’s how they are made, now this is how they are used,
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The complete transcript.
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[ Ukrainians Send a Swarm of Drones Through a Pipe & Decimate The Russian Hideout ]
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Today [ Aug 1 ], there are a lot of updates from the Kharkiv direction.
In the Lyptsi region, the most interesting news revolves around the ongoing fierce battles. Ukrainian forces are tactically aiming to weaken Russian troops by severing their supply and reinforcement lines.
Meanwhile, Russian forces have attempted to counter this tactic with an offensive towards Lyptsi, but their efforts have resulted in a significant setback.
A significant development has emerged concerning the tactical operations of the Ukrainian drone operators from the esteemed Madyar’s Birds detachment. Founded by Robert Brovdi, also known as “Madyar,” this unit is regarded as one of the best drone operating forces in the Ukrainian military.
Recently integrated into the Ukrainian Marine Corps as the 414th Marine Strike UAV Battalion, Madyar’s Birds have been deployed to the Lyptsi front in response to the Russian offensive in Kharkiv that commenced in May.
A few days ago, a Russian soldier shared a detailed account on social media of how his unit was relentlessly hunted by Madyar’s drones. His description provides valuable insights into the extraordinary intensity of Ukrainian drone operations, highlighting the relentless precision and effectiveness of these tactics.
Firstly, the account begins with the soldier describing how his unit was detected and attacked by a massive swarm of drones immediately after crossing the border. This demonstrates the Ukrainians’ tight control over the region.
The Russian soldier claimed that the overwhelming number of drones allowed Ukrainian forces to target even wounded Russian soldiers, using up to three drones per target. This level of drone deployment seemed inconceivable to them, given the supposed scarcity of Ukrainian drones they had been informed about.
Secondly, the Russian soldier’s account highlights advanced Ukrainian tactics involving drone swarms directed by reconnaissance drones operating within a 20km radius. This indicates a high level of coordination and synchronization among multiple drone operators, showcasing the sophisticated approach employed by Ukrainian forces.
Lastly, the Russian soldier repeatedly emphasized the apparent resilience of Ukrainian drones against Russian electronic countermeasures. Remarkably, Madyar’s drones maintained their connection even under extreme conditions. The soldier recounted how the drones continued to pursue them inside an underground pipe where Russian troops desperately sought shelter.
Considering that the drones operated effectively underground and at least 15 km from their headquarters, the soldier speculated that Ukrainian drones might be utilizing advanced signal repeater technology alongside reconnaissance support.
The harrowing account concludes with the soldier describing how, after hours of attempting to escape through dense forests, trenches, and pipes, the majority of his comrades were annihilated by Ukrainian drones and supporting artillery fire.
In response to the devastating impact of elite Ukrainian drone units across various front-line positions, the Russian army is urgently seeking effective countermeasures. They are allocating substantial resources to the development and deployment of advanced electronic warfare systems, resulting in a technological arms race.
Despite frequent announcements of new advancements, the reality on the ground suggests that Ukrainian forces remain a step ahead, largely mitigating the effects of Russian electronic countermeasures, for the time being.
Additionally, Russian forces are reportedly developing and formalizing a military motorcycle specialty. This initiative responds to increased Ukrainian drone strikes and aerial reconnaissance and addresses the growing shortage of Soviet-era equipment. The aim is to leverage small, fast vehicles for frontline logistics and infantry transport.
For instance, a Russian military analyst recently disclosed that the Russian 5th Motorized Rifle Brigade is establishing its own military motorcycle school, with other brigades evaluating the initiative at a high level.
Some analysts speculate that Russia’s new motorcycle tactics could enhance the Kremlin’s war effort by making individual soldiers faster and less detectable from the air.
On the battlefield, motorcycle riders benefit from improved visibility and agility allowing them to maneuver around mines that armored vehicle operators might miss. They can also follow tracks left by armored vehicles from earlier assaults, ensuring these roads are mine free.
However, these Riders remain vulnerable to machine gun fire and anti-personnel mines which are smaller and harder to spot, especially when approaching Ukrainian trenches.
Overall, Madyar’s elite drone unit has not only inflicted overwhelming casualties and thwarted Russian attacks, but has also achieved precise tactical objectives. By targeting supply and reinforcement lines they have left Russian troops at the front lines completely exposed, under equipped, and under staffed.
The decimation of Russian forces has been so severe that the Ukrainian command recently decided to relocate Madyar’s unit away from the Kharkiv front, as the damage to Russian forces here is deemed irreversible; the unit is now being redirected to areas with a target richer environment.
In a desperate attempt to counter Ukrainian drones Russian forces have increased the use of motorcycles for infantry advances.
However, this tactic which sacrifices armor and firepower for mobility, often results in higher losses. Despite these efforts, the situation remains unchanged allowing Ukrainian forces to conduct a decisive offensive.
Russian forces are now largely incapable of mounting their own offensive, with many Russian military analysts urging a switch to full defensive mode, and effectively abandoning the Kharkiv offensive.