UKRAINE, June 26 — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree creating the Unmanned Systems Forces within the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Presidential Office reports.

The Unmanned Systems Forces are the world’s first branch of the military to use air, sea surface, and underwater, ground drones and robotic systems in combat. According to the Presidential Office, the Unmanned systems forces will operate as a separate Armed Forces branch.

The symbol of the newly created branch of the military is the swallow, which, as the USF’s website describes, represents the “tender but unbreakable” Ukrainian soul.

On June 10, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Vadym Sukharevskyi as commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces. He noted that the formation of this kind of troops would improve the training of drone pilots and their rotation.

Drones are an important asset in the Russia-Ukraine war, providing real-time surveillance and the ability to launch precision strikes. They improve situational awareness, increase targeting accuracy, and reduce risks for Ukrainian soldiers.

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