Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, summarized his first year in office and outlined the key priorities for the army’s development.
Defense and Strikes Against the Enemy
Over the past year, Ukrainian forces have:
- halted the enemy’s advance in the Kharkiv region,
- prevented a breakthrough in the Sumy region,
- brought the war onto Russian territory.
More enemy personnel, equipment, and military targets have been destroyed in the past year than in all previous years of the war combined.
Long-range strikes have played a crucial role:
- DeepStrike attacks have reached a range of 1,700 km,
- 377 military targets in Russia have been hit,
- 9,200 aerial targets have been destroyed—2.4 times more than in 2023.
Modernizing the Military
Ukraine’s armed forces have been actively integrating new technologies:
- over 1.3 million drones have been deployed to the front,
- the Unmanned Systems Forces have been established,
- elite drone units such as “Ptakhy Madyara,” “Achilles,” and “K-2” have been expanded.
Counter-battery warfare has also yielded results:
- the enemy’s artillery advantage has been reduced from 10:1 to nearly 2:1,
- 13,050 Russian artillery systems have been destroyed.
Enhancing Military Training
Improvements in military training include:
- extending the basic training course to 1.5 months,
- integrating electronic warfare (EW) and UAV training into the curriculum,
- implementing a 14-day adaptation course before combat deployment,
- shifting foreign weapons training to Ukraine instead of abroad.
Strengthening the Front
The Armed Forces have significantly enhanced their combat capabilities:
- new mechanized brigades have been formed,
- electronic warfare capabilities have been expanded with a dedicated EW battalion, over 100 EW companies, and a specialized training center,
- air superiority has been bolstered with F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets.
At sea:
- Russian warships have been destroyed,
- enemy “Kalibr” missile carriers have been forced to withdraw from Sevastopol to Novorossiysk,
- conditions have been secured for safe maritime exports.
Offensive Operations and Mobilization
Despite constant enemy pressure, Ukraine continues to counterattack.
- The Kursk operation created a buffer zone and reduced enemy pressure on Kharkiv.
- Over 47,000 Russian troops have been lost in battles on Russian territory over the past six months.
- 924 Russian soldiers have been taken prisoner, enabling further prisoner exchanges.
Military reforms are ongoing:
- a corps-based command structure is being introduced,
- redundant units have been cut,
- 70,000 soldiers from support units have been reassigned to frontline combat roles.
Unity as the Key to Victory
Syrskyi emphasized the importance of public support for the military:
“When you see a tired Ukrainian soldier who has come home for a few days to see their family, go up to them and say thank you. Because they are the only ones standing between you and a ruthless Russian invader.”