Syrsky: In March, Ukrainian UAV Units Struck 50% More Verified Targets, Yet Russia Plans to Increase Forces to Over 165,000 by Year-End

Ukrainian drone units demonstrated impressive results in March 2023, striking 50% more verified targets compared to February. This information was shared by General Oleksandr Syrsky, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on his Facebook page.

According to Syrsky, on average, drone units perform over 11,000 combat missions daily. As a result of operations in March, Ukrainian forces hit more than 150,000 verified targets, indicating a significant increase in the activity and effectiveness of drones.

The Commander-in-Chief noted that during a meeting focused on the development of drone systems, the results of March's operations were summarized. He emphasized that the total losses of enemy personnel inflicted by Ukrainian drone units increased by 29% compared to February.

Syrsky also highlighted the increased effectiveness of Ukrainian Middle Strike systems, which conducted nearly 350 strikes at operational depth (30-120 km). These actions resulted in the destruction of 143 logistics objects and enemy warehouses, 52 command points of the Russian army, 20 oil and energy facilities of the enemy, and many other critical targets. These results were made possible due to the comprehensive work of domestic manufacturers of unmanned aerial complexes (UACs), the enhancement of operators' skills, and the organizational decisions made.

Additionally, Ukrainian ground robotic complexes also demonstrated an increase in the number of completed tasks by more than 50% compared to February. This indicates that Ukrainian forces are actively improving their technologies and combat tactics.

However, despite the successes of Ukrainian forces, the enemy is not standing still. According to Ukrainian intelligence, as of early April 2023, the number of Russian military personnel in drone systems (BPS) has increased to 101,000 soldiers. Moreover, Russia plans to raise this figure to 165,500 by the end of 2026, indicating the aggressor's serious intentions to bolster its forces.

Syrsky also reported on the ongoing development of drone units across various branches and types of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the meeting, reports were heard regarding the state of capability acquisition of BPS units in the Ground Forces and Territorial Defense Forces, as well as the application of unmanned marine boats.

The Commander-in-Chief emphasized the importance of experience sharing among representatives of combat brigades and battalions, which is particularly valuable during such meetings. He noted the comprehensive work of the 414th Separate Brigade of Drone Systems, known as the “Birds of Madyar,” in detecting and destroying enemy drone landing sites.

“A telling figure: the positions of enemy pilots were suppressed by 26% more in March than in February,” Syrsky noted, highlighting the effectiveness of Ukrainian military actions.

Following the meeting, the Commander-in-Chief outlined further tasks for the development of drone systems, reflecting the Armed Forces of Ukraine's continuous commitment to improvement and adaptation to new challenges on the battlefield.