{"id":69426,"date":"2025-01-22T13:51:59","date_gmt":"2025-01-22T13:51:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2025\/01\/22\/ukraine-to-hand-combat-units-60-million-monthly-for-new-drones\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T16:08:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T16:08:57","slug":"ukraine-to-hand-combat-units-60-million-monthly-for-new-drones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/europe\/2025\/01\/22\/ukraine-to-hand-combat-units-60-million-monthly-for-new-drones\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine to hand combat units $60 million monthly for new drones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PARIS \u2014 Ukraine\u2019s Ministry of Defence will provide its combat units with 2.5 billion hryvnia (US$60 million) of direct funding per month to procure their own drones, in a move to allow commanders in the field to buy the equipment they need rather than rely on centralized purchasing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ministry already provided 2.1 billion hryvia directly to combat units in December for buying drones, and decided to scale up the initiative based on that experience, officials said in a Jan. 22 statement<\/u><\/a>. Allowing troops to buy unmanned aerial vehicles directly allowed for rapid fulfillment of service members\u2019 needs while increasing diversification, the ministry said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCommanders of the units will have the flexibility to use these funds to acquire the drones that are the most effective for carrying out mission requirements at the front,\u201d Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov said in the statement. \u201cThis marks another step towards building a highly flexible system to ensure the military has everything necessary for Ukraine\u2019s defense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t