Ukraine drone forces could increase Crimea attacks sevenfold with more funding

Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, stated that his units could conduct up to seven times more attacks on military targets in Crimea if funding from Western partners arrived more quickly. Currently, the forces possess only 14 percent of the capacity required to lead a full-scale campaign in the region.

Brovdi emphasized that the primary obstacle is not the production capacity of Ukrainian drone manufacturers, but rather delays in international financing. The campaign in Crimea aims to restrict the peninsula's use as a military base for Russian forces. Recent operations have successfully targeted railway bridges, fuel depots, and energy infrastructure to disrupt Russian logistics and degrade air defenses.

Brovdi reported that his units have destroyed over 300 air defense assets, including radar and electronic warfare systems. He noted a significant decline in Russian missile capabilities from the peninsula, observing that only five missiles were launched from Crimea during four recent large-scale Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, a development he attributed to the systematic destruction of Russian air defenses in the area.