VLADIMIR Putin can be defeated if Britain helps fund an army of “flying Kalashnikovs”, military leaders in Kyiv said today.
Army commanders and Ukrainian politicians told The Sun the future of the war will be fought by drones and AI.
GettyUkraine’s Deputy Economy Minister Oleksii Sobolev called on Britain to help Kyiv scale up drone production so Putin can be taken down once and for all[/caption]
ReutersUkrainian troops are already using drone tech to attack Russia[/caption]
Soldiers on the frontline will be replaced by robots, with military personnel controlling the tech in trenches further back.
Ukraine’s Deputy Economy Minister called on Britain to help Kyiv scale up drone production so Putin can be taken down once and for all.
Oleksii Sobolev told The Sun: “The drone sector needs access to UK capital.
“We need more joint ventures between our defence companies.”
Dmytro Natalukha, chair of the Ukrainian Economic Affairs Committee said: “We need to prove to Putin that regardless of the quantity of people he is sending – we can take them down with sophisticated weapons.
“Parts of the front line have been held exclusively by drains.
“It has set a precedent about how this war may evolve.”
Mr Natalukha added: “People will be sat in the trenches and holding the front line by drones and drones only.”
In a scientific business park dubbed “Kyiv’s Silicon Valley”, a top lieutenant told The Sun that the race to innovate drone technology is just as important as the need to acquire storm shadow missiles.
He warned that Russia has become increasingly proficient at shooting down the British-made weapons.
The lieutenant, who commands a unit comprising 40 per cent IT specialists, said: “We have started the transition to a tech war already.
“We need Britain’s help to speed up the production of drones.”
Last year, only 1 per cent of Ukraine’s drones on the frontline had autonomous hitting capabilities.
This year the figure is expected to hit up to 10 per cent and in 2026 up to 40 per cent.
So far more than 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed on the frontline.
Politicians in Kyiv say the transition to drone warfare will see a drastic reduction in casualty figures.
A defence industry leader said: “Help to protect our humans and our infantry to invest more in intelligence.
“Due to lack of technology infantry get killed and wounded in much bigger numbers than should be.”
ReutersHuge flames rose from the Rostneft Oil Refinery in Ryazan after a Ukrainian drone strike in January[/caption]
TROOPS’ THANKS FOR UK WEAPONS
Exclusive by Noa Hoffman in Kyiv
UKRAINIAN soldiers are “really appreciative” and “really grateful” for British weapons, a top lieutenant said yesterday.
Visiting Kyiv on a break from the frontline, the platoon commander vowed that the UK’s armed forces will be repaid for its military aid to his country.
The lieutenant, who took part in the bloody Kharkiv and Kherson counter-offensives, said that only Ukraine is able to test and further develop UK weapons in a live war setting against one of the world’s largest armies.
He said: “The military really appreciate Britain’s help and support and are really grateful.
“Britain should understand that we can give you all our experience on how to protect against a strong enemy.
“If you give us military technology, such as UAVs, we can improve them and give all our experience to train your guys.”
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