"Eyes of the artillery"

Kiev arms itself against Putin’s reconnaissance drones

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi wants to better protect Ukrainian territory against Russia's Orlan reconnaissance drones and thus "blind" enemy artillery.(Bild: Associated Press)

At a meeting in Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his leadership discussed improved defense against Russian reconnaissance drones. Aircraft such as the Russian Orlan drones are "the eyes for Russian artillery and combat drones", Selensky wrote on X on Wednesday. Ukraine should make such drones technically blind.

What is needed is a systematic approach from the identification of enemy drones to the use of electronic warfare against them and their destruction and a close connection between the army and domestic arms manufacturers, Selenskyj said. "Manufacturers must clearly know the needs of the front, while the army should know the production capacities in each region," the president continued.

Selenskyj hopes for future arms exports
Selenskyj also addressed this meeting in his evening video address and looked to the future. The technology that Ukraine is developing now will also be able to export after the war, he said. "Ukraine's global significance lies in being a provider of security, an exporter of security."

In his most recent reorganization of the military leadership, Zelensky introduced drone troops as a separate branch of the armed forces alongside the army, air force and navy. Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion for almost two years. On both sides in this war, drones have become extremely important for reconnaissance and attacks with explosive charges.