Details: BBC recalled that Andrii Biletskyi, commander of the 3rd Assault Brigade (currently being restructured into a corps), revealed the unit had not received a single FPV drone in three months. The outcry prompted a delivery of drones to the brigade, but the deeper, systemic issue remains unresolved.
FPV drones are considered the primary strike tool for Ukraine’s defence forces, accounting for nearly 80% of confirmed target destruction. Despite government claims of scaling up domestic drone production to 10 million pieces, many brigades are still forced to procure equipment themselves or rely on volunteer aid.
Currently, almost 500 UAV pieces operate within Ukrainian forces under a mixed supply model. Captain Yurii "Achilles" Fedorenko, commander of the 429th Separate UAV Regiment, said that about one third of drones come directly from the state, another third are procured using unit-held funds, and the remaining third are donated with the help of Ukrainian civilians.
This spring, the greatest setback came from the third meant to be supplied centrally by the state.
Serhii Varakin, commander of the unmanned systems battalion of the 58th Independent Motorised Infantry Brigade, said that a year ago his unit could launch up to 100 FPV drones per day. Today, they receive only 200-300 per month, far below operational needs.
Mariia Berlinska, a volunteer and the head of the Aerointelligence Support Centre, attributed the issue to a change in leadership at the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA). However, the DPA denies any delay in drone procurement this year, stating that by May 2025, it had signed state contracts for over 2.3 million FPV drones, several times higher than in previous years.
The BBC also highlighted that the selective distribution of drones between brigades adds to the crisis.
In addition to the shortfall, troops are reporting a decline in quality. Soldiers often have to modify FPV drones themselves, and fibre-optic drones are proving unreliable, jeopardising operations on the frontline.
Meanwhile, Russia has significantly scaled up its FPV drone production and is integrating new technologies, including artificial intelligence. Ukrainian commanders acknowledge the challenge and pledge to resolve the issue swiftly.
The DPA recently announced that by May 2025 it had signed state contracts covering 81% of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ projected drone needs.
