Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Unmanned Systems Forces are a separate branch of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, established in February 2024. They are responsible for the combat use of unmanned aerial vehicles and for developing drone capabilities across the military. Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyy was appointed as the first commander of the branch. The force coordinates drone units drawn from various branches of the armed forces and from special operations units.
-
Ukrainian drones strike Novorossiysk naval base and port, starting fire at mazut terminal
On the night of September 8–9, 2026, Ukrainian drones attacked the Russian naval base and port in Novorossiysk, Krasnodar Krai, igniting a fire at the Novorossiysk Mazut Terminal and damaging port and residential infrastructure. Novorossiysk Mayor Andriy Kravchenko confirmed the attack and said drone debris fell on the territories of several enterprises and near a residential building. Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces commander Robert 'Madyar' Brovdi said a combined strike hit the Novorossiysk naval base and destroyed military vessels including missile carriers, while Russian officials reported civilian casualties and claimed to have intercepted 596 drones overnight.