Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces inflicted heavy losses on Russian troops in March, increasing the number of counter-attacks and destroying a large number of personnel, Commander-in-Chief of Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi revealed on Thursday.
Posting on Telegram, Syrskyi said Russia’s total military personnel losses caused by unmanned systems forces increased by 29% in March compared to February. In addition, the number of verified targets hit in March increased by 50% compared to February - exceeding 150,000. In his words, unmanned units now carry out more than an average of 11,000 combat missions per day.
“For four consecutive months, starting from December 2025, our unmanned systems units have been neutralizing more enemy personnel than Russia is recruiting into its ranks,” the top commander said. In his words, one of the main reasons behind Ukraine’s advantage is its unmanned systems forces, which are currently delivering the most massive and effective strikes against the Russian army units.
Syrskyi also pointed to a significant improvement in Ukraine’s medium-range strike capabilities, noting a marked increase in operational effectiveness. He reported that nearly 350 strikes were conducted at operational depths of roughly 30 to 120 kilometers, targeting key elements of the Russian military infrastructure. These operations reportedly damaged or destroyed 143 logistics hubs and supply depots, 52 command centers, and 20 oil and energy facilities, along with a range of other strategic targets.
He also noted that Ukrainian forces achieved a 26% rise in successful missions aimed at neutralizing enemy drone operator positions compared to February, indicating growing effectiveness in counter-drone warfare. Syrskyi attributed these gains to a combination of factors, including the work of domestic UAV producers, improved training and proficiency among operators, and organizational reforms within the armed forces. In addition, he highlighted that ground-based robotic systems carried out more than 50% more missions in March than in the previous month.
At the same time, Russian forces are continuing to expand their own unmanned warfare capabilities. Intelligence assessments suggest that as of early April, Russia had increased its dedicated drone troops to around 101,000 personnel and is reportedly planning to expand this force to approximately 165,500 by the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to develop and integrate unmanned systems across multiple branches of its armed forces, further embedding drone and robotic technologies into its overall military strategy. “Following the meeting, I set tasks for further development of our unmanned systems. We continue to break the enemy’s backbone while preserving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers,” he explained.
According to Ukrainian reports, Russia lost over 35,000 soldiers in March, while the total number of Kremlin’s military losses since February 2022 exceed 1,2 million. The Kremlin has not revealed the number of lost military personnel.
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