Ukrainian parliament supports integration of Unmanned Systems Forces into Armed Forces of Ukraine

Anastasia Protz — Tuesday, 3 September 2024, 14:29

The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) has adopted draft law No. 11507 on the integration of a new structure, the Unmanned Systems Forces, in certain branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Source: MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak

Details: Zhelezniak noted that 294 MPs voted in favour of the decision.

Background:

  • On 7 May 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers supported President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's draft decree, developed by the Ministry of Defence together with the General Staff, on the creation of a separate branch of the Armed Forces – the Unmanned Systems Forces.
  • On 10 June, the General Staff of the Armed Forces announced that Vadym Sukharevskyi, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, was appointed commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces.
  • On 20 August, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a bill establishing the Unmanned Systems Forces. It also allocated 24 billion hryvnias (about US$579 million) for the purchase of drones for the Ukrainian defence forces.
  • On 2 September, Roman Kostenko, Secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Defence Committee, told Ukrainska Pravda that the Verkhovna Rada would soon consider a bill establishing the existence of the Unmanned Systems Forces.

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