Ukraine and the Netherlands plan to mobilize additional resources to continue and scale up the Drone Line project, aimed at supporting the units of the Defense Forces.
During a meeting with Dutch Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Dilan Yesilgöz-Zegerius, Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, Mykhailo Fedorov, called the Drone Line one of the most effective projects for developing the capabilities of the Ukrainian army.
Currently, the project involves more than 1,000 crews. In January–February, they destroyed one out of every three Russian servicemen on the front.
As Mykhailo Fedorov noted, in January Russian losses exceeded the number of mobilized personnel. In certain sectors of the front, the Russian forces lost up to 170 soldiers per square kilometer of advance.
The Defense Minister also called on partners to support other drone projects, including providing brigades with basic levels of drone equipment.
According to him, combining the Drone Line project with the programme for basic brigade equipment could be a game-changer on the front, potentially enabling Ukraine to inflict up to 50,000 Russian losses per month, as outlined in Ukraine’s war plan.
Mykhailo Fedorov also briefed the Dutch side on other elements of Ukraine’s war plan, its key objectives, and overall vision.
The parties discussed areas of cooperation to develop mutually beneficial partnerships, ensure technological advantage, and limit Russia’s resources. In particular, they covered:
- Support for the F-16 programme;
- Countering Russia’s “shadow fleet”;
- Development of radar coverage;
- Supply of long-range artillery ammunition.
The Ukrainian Defense Minister expressed gratitude to the Netherlands for their leadership and systematic support. He specifically highlighted the decision to provide PAC-3 missiles, announced during the “Ramstein” format meeting, and emphasized the importance of continued funding for the PURL programme.
