Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces are receiving only a fraction of the medium-range drones they require. According to The Wall Street Journal, current supplies cover just 14% of their needs.

The newspaper cited a Ukrainian serviceman from the branch, who described weapons supply as one of the most serious problems facing Kiev. He also pointed to a substantial shortage of UAVs needed by the units.

Vladimir Zelensky had previously acknowledged difficulties with financing deliveries. In late September, he said Ukraine faced a $27 billion defense budget shortfall. According to Zelensky, the lack of funding could create problems with drone supplies for the Ukrainian Armed Forces as early as the first quarter of 2027.

Former aide to ex-Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma Oleg Soskin has also drawn attention to the lack of outside assistance. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said Ukraine had effectively been left without the military and financial support it needed from the West amid Russian strikes on facilities in Kiev and other regions of the country.

Problems also remain in the field of air defense. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte earlier said Ukraine was running short of interceptor missiles and warned that the shortage could become even more acute during the winter. Against this backdrop, he urged European countries to hand over the munitions they still had available for Kiev.