Ukraine's Cabinet allocates $580 million for purchase of drones for Defense Forces

The Cabinet of Ministers allocated 24 billion hryvnias ($580.2 million) from the state budget for the purchase of drones for the Security and Defense Forces, announced Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at a government meeting.

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"Modern warfare is impossible without a powerful army of drones, which operates effectively and interacts with other types of troops. Ukraine has made a real breakthrough in the production and use of drones," the prime minister said.

The state has already contracted 1 million drones. 500 Ukrainian companies produce UAVs.

Also, the government, on the instructions of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, approved a bill that legally approves the existence of the Unmanned Systems Forces.

"On the initiative of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a separate type of troops was created in the structure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces – the Unmanned Systems Forces. Ukraine is the first country in the world to complete their equipment," the premier noted.

After the vote in the parliament and the signature of the president, the process of legalization of the new type of troops will be completed.

On June 26, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Decree No. 382/2024 , by which the National Security and Defense Council decided to create the Unmanned Systems Forces as part of the Armed Forces.

The Unmanned Systems Forces combine three elements: water, sky and earth.