December 2025 was the first month in which Russian battlefield losses roughly matched the number of troops Moscow was able to recruit in the same period, according to a statement by Ukraine’s armed forces commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Syrskyi said the results were linked to the expanded use of unmanned systems by Ukraine’s forces. Over the past year, drone operations have become a central part of combat activity across the front.
33,000 neutralized in December
More than 33,000 Russian soldiers were neutralised during the month, Syrskyi said. The figure includes only cases confirmed by video footage, while actual losses are likely higher.
In December, units operating unmanned aerial systems reportedly carried out about 339,000 missions, while ground-based robotic systems completed nearly 2,100 tasks. Overall, the number of targets hit or destroyed by drones increased by 31%, and the number of Russian personnel hit rose by more than a quarter, he said.
Ukraine plans further drone expansion
According to Syrskyi, Ukraine significantly expanded its drone capabilities in 2025 and plans further growth in 2026, including the formation of specialised units.
The expansion builds on the rapid growth of the Unmanned Systems Forces, which Ukraine established in June 2025 as the world's first dedicated military drone branch. Despite comprising just 2.2% of Ukraine's total military personnel, the unit has emerged as one of the most effective forces on the battlefield.
Moscow scaling its own drone force
He also said Russia is building up its own unmanned systems forces. Based on Ukrainian military intelligence, Syrskyi said Moscow has created separate drone troops numbering about 80,000 personnel, with plans to expand them to 165,500 in 2026 and nearly 210,000 by 2030.
Syrskyi said Russia has exceeded its annual state order for long-range drone production and is now producing more than 400 such drones per day.
