Between January 1 and May 27, 2025, the Third Separate Assault Brigade received a total of 7 992 UAVs of various types. The Ministry of Defense fulfilled all the brigadeʼs requests. On May 11, in an interview with Yuriy Butusov, the Commander of the Third Army Corps of the Armed Forces Andriy Biletsky stated that in three months the Third Separate Assault Brigade had not received a single FPV drone from the Ministry of Defense.
The Main Communications Directorate of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Logistics Forces reported on the number of deliveries at Babelʼs request, without specifying whether the deliveries included FPV drones.
The Logistics Forces explained that they first provide the brigades with a list of available equipment and vehicles. The brigades can choose from this list what they need — the 3rd Assault Brigadeʼs requests were fully fulfilled.
At the same time, there are cases when a brigade needs modifications that are not available. Then it submits a separate application to the Ministry of Defense, and then it is allocated funds for the purchase. This is how the Third Assault Brigade received funding in May.
The Main Communications Directorate of the Armed Forces of Ukraine responded to Babelʼs request that in 2025, 151.5 million hryvnias were allocated from the state budget of Ukraine for the Third Separate Assault Brigade for the purchase of drones. As of May 28, 2025, 57% of this amount had been used.
- The commander of the Third Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andriy Biletsky stated on May 11 that the Third Separate Assault Brigade had not received a single FPV drone from the Ministry of Defense for three months. He did not specify the exact period in question. According to Biletsky, without state provision of drones, the unit could not effectively cover its sector of the front.
- In some periods, the share of drones that came from the state was 30–40%, and this, says Biletsky, is a significant share. The brigadeʼs needs are partially covered thanks to the help of volunteers and subsidies. The brigade also has a curator who helps financially. Biletsky says that this system is also working now.
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