Latest news with #OleksandrKamyshin
New Straits Times
18-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Ukraine's drones slowing Russian advance
"DRONES, drones, drones. Only drones. A lot of drones." A weary Ukrainian platoon commander speaks to the transformed nature of modern warfare as he's medically evacuated from the front lines. Kamikaze drones. Surveillance drones. Bomber drones. Drones that kill other drones. They swarm the skies in vast numbers. They're cheap, they're deadly and they're among the main reasons Ukraine believes that it can hold out against advancing Russian forces this year and even beyond, according to a dozen Ukrainian commanders, officials and arms manufacturers involved in Kyiv's defence. Ukrainian soldiers describe the drone-infested corridor covering about 10km either side of the line of contact as the "kill zone" because remotely piloted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) deployed by both sides can swiftly spot and neutralise targets. The war's evolution into the most drone-intensive conflict ever seen has eaten away at Russia's ability to exploit its traditional advantages in troop numbers, artillery and tanks, according to two Ukrainian battlefield commanders interviewed. Russia had consequently adapted its tactics, the Ukrainian battlefield commanders said; its forces now typically attack in small groups of five or six — on foot or on motorbikes or quad bikes — in an attempt expose Ukrainian positions by drawing their fire and then launching drone strikes at them, they added. Despite the changes in warfare, Russian forces retain the ascendancy and are making slow but steady advances in the east and north of Ukraine. Russia has also caught up in UAV technology after falling behind early in the war, according to military analysts. The people interviewed for this article believed that Ukraine could fight on and resist Russia even if no more US aid was forthcoming, though they didn't give precise timelines. Many cited the primacy of drones as having levelled the field to some degree and made Ukraine more self-sufficient, and also pointed to growing military supplies from European allies. "We can hold out for months," said Oleksandr Kamyshin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's arms expert and strategic adviser, when asked about what would happen if US weapons supplies ceased. "In 2023 or 2024, it would have been a lot worse — we would be talking about days or weeks." Polish military analyst Konrad Muzyka said Ukraine's focus was to sap the strength of Russian attacks. He said Ukraine would likely struggle in a long war of attrition due to its manpower shortages and Russia's superior resources. "Drones can fill in the gaps to some extent and give you some breathing space, but they are not a substitute for artillery." Drones are demons, at least for those in the kill zone that straddles the 1,000km line of contact. Reconnaissance UAVs from both sides — resembling shrunken airplanes, made of plastic or styrofoam and equipped with sophisticated cameras — can spot enemies from several kilometres away. They hover over the front lines, relaying back what they see in real time. They find targets for the fleets of bomber drones — often hexacopters the size of coffee tables that can drop precision grenades with 3D-printed tailfins — as well as kamikaze drones, some with RPG warheads strapped on to pierce armour, which can fly into soldiers, tanks and weapons systems. The platoon commander being evacuated from the front, a 35-year-old called Ivan who goes by the call sign "Atom", said soldiers on both sides now saw UAVs as the biggest threat to their lives. According to internal Ukrainian estimates seen by Reuters, drones accounted for 69 per cent of strikes on Russian troops and 75 per cent of strikes on vehicles and equipment in 2024. The wartime UAV arms race has spawned many innovations; both sides are deploying short-range, fibre-optic drones that cannot be electronically jammed, as well as "interceptors" that hunt down and destroy enemy reconnaissance and attack drones. The average cost of a long-range strike drone ranges from US$50,000 to US$300,000, about 10 times less than a missile of similar range. "This is our asymmetrical answer," he said, adding that Ukraine started developing such drones "precisely because we lack missiles". Kamyshin, Zelenskyy's adviser, added: "You can't win a big war if you are only defending. Long-range drone strikes are one of the main cards Ukraine can play against Russia right now."
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine is now fully capable of producing FrankenSAM air defence systems
Ukraine is capable of independently producing air defence systems under the FrankenSAM programme. Source: a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda's holding company Details: Oleksandr Kamyshin, Senior Advisor to the President of Ukraine on Strategic Issues, confirmed this during a briefing on the occasion of the Day of the Armourer. The former head of the Ministry of Strategic Industries said that Ukraine has received technical documentation for FrankenSAM systems and can now implement these systems independently. "The technical documentation for some of these projects has been handed over to the Ukrainian side. We can fully implement these projects on our own," Kamyshin said. Briefing Ukrainian Arms 2024. Photo: Ministry of Defence of Ukraine It is known that the FrankenSAM programme (a combination of the words Frankenstein and SAM, which means surface-to-air missile system in English) was created by joint efforts of Ukraine and the United States to compensate for the shortage of Soviet missiles in the winter of 2022-2023 and to protect Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The program developed three types of FrankenSAM systems: small, medium and large. They were to combine Soviet systems available in Ukraine with Western missiles. Herman Smetanin, Head of the Ministry of Strategic Industries. Photo: press service of the Ministry When asked whether these projects would develop productively with the change of government in the United States, Herman Smetanin answered at the briefing: "Some of the FrankenSAM projects were implemented in 2024. The upgraded or improved equipment was upgraded, improved and delivered to Ukraine's Security and defence forces. Some projects are still ongoing. There was a stage when there was a short pause. It was probably technical, but now there are no 'hiccups'." Ukrainian Buk-M1 anti-aircraft system with RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles. Photo: Command of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Background: The United States helped Ukraine implement two types of such systems capable of firing Western missiles in October 2023. A SAM firing AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missiles – the "small" FrankenSAM – was created. The Buk-M1 was also adapted to use RIM-7 anti-aircraft missiles. At the time, it was reported that both systems would be put on combat duty in the autumn of 2023. The New York Times reported that US developers had managed to integrate Patriot missiles with an old Soviet air defence system, creating a "large" FrankenSAM in October 2023. This system was able to destroy a drone during tests at the White Sands Test Site in New Mexico. The anti-aircraft missile was integrated with a Ukrainian-made launcher and radar station. The system was planned to be transferred to Ukraine, along with a stockpile of missiles from the United States and allies, in the winter of 2023/24. It became known that the Ukrainian air defence used the FrankenSAM system against enemy drones for the first time in January 2024. It successfully shot down an Iranian Shahed kamikaze drone at a distance of 9 kilometres. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ukraine has businesses producing 1 million first-person view drones annually, Zelenskyy's strategic issues advisor says
Oleksandr Kamyshin, a strategic issues advisor to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has stated that Ukraine's defence industry is capable of producing several million first-person view (FPV) drones annually. Source: Kamyshin on Radio Charter, a Ukrainian news and music radio station Details: Kamyshin, Ukraine's former Minister of Strategic Industries, noted that some Ukrainian companies can manufacture over 100,000 drones monthly, exceeding one million annually. Additionally, over 150 businesses of various sizes are involved in FPV drone production across Ukraine. Background: In March, Vyriy Drone, one of Ukraine's largest FPV drone manufacturers, unveiled its first batch of UAVs built entirely from domestically produced components In the first two months of 2025, Ukraine allocated UAH 336.6 billion (approximately US$8.09 billion) from the general state budget to security and defence. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Armament Manufacturers Council launched in Ukraine
The Ukrainian Armament Manufacturers Council has started its work. It is a platform that consolidates the private defence industry for effective interaction with government agencies, military, and international partners. Source: press service of the Armament Manufacturers Council Details: The Armament Manufacturers Council includes the League of Defense Сompanies of Ukraine, Ukraine's Robotic Forces, the Association of Electronic Warfare/Electronic Signals Intelligence Manufacturers, Techosystem Defense, Defence Alliance of Ukraine, the Association of Manufacturers of Unmanned Systems and Related Technologies ARMADA, and the D3 Venture Capital investment fund. Oleksandr Kamyshin, Advisor to the President of Ukraine on Strategic Issues and former Minister of Strategic Industries, has become the Chairman of the Armaments Manufacturers Council. The Executive Director is Ihor Fedirko, former Deputy Director of Humanitarian Demining at Ukroboronservice and Head of the State Centre for Humanitarian Mine Clearance. Quote: "The unification of manufacturers into a single advocacy organisation is a proven effective practice used around the world." Background: The Ukrainian Defence Industry (also known as Ukroboronprom, a strategic manufacturer of weapons and military hardware in Ukraine) and Thales International SAS, a French company specialising in the development of information systems for the aerospace and military sectors, have signed an agreement to build a joint venture. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
