The commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, Colonel Vadym Sukharevsky, described how a unique Ukrainian branch of the military has transformed drones from an auxiliary tool into a critically important asymmetric means of destruction that «allows the weaker to beat the stronger.» According to him, in the next great war, people will watch the battles of drone swarms.
The commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, Colonel Vadym Sukharevsky, described how a unique Ukrainian branch of the military has transformed drones from an auxiliary tool into a critically important asymmetric means of destruction that «allows the weaker to beat the stronger.» According to him, in the next great war, people will watch the battles of drone swarms.
Sukharevskiy told about this in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. In the 9 months since its establishment, the USF units have conducted 220 combat operations, launched more than 3,500 drones, destroyed more than 15 Russian air defense systems and hit 40 objects of critical infrastructure of the Russian Federation. The USF has also begun testing laser weapons.
«Previously, drones were perceived as an auxiliary tool. Something that could be used at the unit level, as reconnaissance or a strike on a separate target. Now it is a separate branch of the military. And it performs not support, but strategic tasks», — noted Vadym Sukharevsky.
According to him, the Russians used to prepare for an attack, but now they are forced to «prepare for the unknown.» Air defense no longer deters the threat, but reacts to it, often in a disorganized and ineffective manner, the USF commander notes.
In 2025, he initiated the creation of the 9th Brigade of Unmanned Systems — a separate strike formation that should become a mobile and high-precision tool for putting pressure on deep-rear enemy targets.
Sukharevskiy believes that in any next major war, one swarm of drones will fight another, while humans will only observe and adjust.
«We have proven that a country without a navy can destroy a navy, a country with almost no aviation can paralyze air bases. And that drones are not just weapons. They are the new currency of security», — he noted.
This is not the first time the USF commander has compared drones to money. In February, he commented on the impact of a potential halt to Western aid on UAV production in Ukraine.
He previously said that he believed NATO forces were not prepared for modern drone warfare. He said NATO should recognize the economic advantage of drones, which are often much cheaper to produce than the conventional weapons needed to shoot them down.
