Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov criticizes government's drone procurement failures amidst frontline shortages
Ukrainian military journalist Yuriy Butusov hosted a live broadcast addressing the contentious issue of Mavic and Autel drone supplies for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. These commercially available Chinese-made quadcopters play a crucial role on the front lines, providing not only tactical reconnaissance but also the capability to attack enemies by dropping grenades.
During his broadcast, Butusov revealed that from August 16 to September 16, 2024, the Ministry of Defense supplied the army with just 50 Mavic 3T drones, equipped with thermal imaging cameras for night reconnaissance. This number is drastically insufficient for the military's needs, as they previously received thousands of such drones. Butusov pointed out that with the current supplies, each brigade averages just half a drone.
The insufficient supply stems from the government's decision in August not to allocate funds to the Ministry of Defense for these drones. According to Butusov's sources, the funds intended for defense procurement, including drones, were redirected to other state projects.
Specifically, over 40 billion hryvnias collected from military taxes on personal incomes were transferred from local budgets to the central government budget. Out of this, 18 billion hryvnias were supposed to be used by the Ministry of Defense to purchase drones and ammunition, but only 12 billion hryvnias reached the military needs.
Butusov emphasized that even with minimal supplies like the 50 Mavic 3T drones, the army's actual need for drones is much higher. He stated that one battalion could lose up to 3-5 drones per day due to intensive combat operations and enemy electronic warfare measures. Currently, each battalion receives only around three drones per month.
A significant portion of drones for the army is still being purchased by servicemen themselves and volunteers. Government supplies cover only about 5-10% of the demand. Butusov also noted that some units do not receive any drones from the state, and all necessary equipment is bought with the military's own funds.
The journalist sharply criticized the government, highlighting priorities that overshadow the army's needs. . He cited the allocation of billions of hryvnias to projects such as a hospital repair in Kryvyi Rih (15 billion hryvnias) and the construction of a national memorial cemetery (18 billion hryvnias). Meanwhile, funding for defense procurement remains critically low.
Additionally, Butusov highlighted that contracts for drone purchases are set to expire in November 2024, potentially disrupting December deliveries. He called on the government to immediately find additional funds to procure the necessary number of drones, as their shortage is already having severe consequences on the frontline, particularly in the Vuhledar area, where the enemy actively uses its drones to strike Ukrainian positions.