ISTANBUL 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree Tuesday that establishes a separate branch of the armed forces dedicated to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones.

The decree published by the Ukrainian presidency, called for the Cabinet of Ministers to work out issues regarding the creation of the branch with the General Staff.

“I have just signed a decree initiating the establishment of a separate branch of our Defense Forces – the Unmanned Systems Forces. This is not a matter of the future, but something that should yield a very concrete result shortly,” Zelenskyy said in a video address.

Expressing that 2023 “should be pivotal in many ways,” including on the front line, Zelenskyy said drones have “proven their effectiveness in battles on land, in the sky and at sea.”

He further said Ukraine changed the security situation in the Black Sea with the help of drones. He also said the primary task of drones is to repel ground assaults and the large-scale destruction inflicted by Russia in Ukraine is caused by drones.

“The current list of tasks is clear: special staff positions for drone operations, special units, effective training, systematization of experience, constant scaling of production, and the involvement of the best ideas and top specialists in this field,” he added.