The Biden administration declassified documents, and officials spoke with reporters about Washington’s clandestine support for Ukraine’s domestic drone manufacturing program. The drone warfare program was backed by CIA intelligence, with one official saying it had “a real strategic impact” on the war.
On Thursday, The New York Times reported on statements by US officials who spoke about Washington’s “once-secret support for the [Ukraine’s] military drone industry.” The outlet explained, “US officials said that they had made big investments that helped Ukraine start and expand its production of drones as it battled Russia’s larger and better-equipped army.”
Officials said Kiev was able to develop a new generation of drones with the funds. The US sent Ukraine at least $1.5 billion to support the program. CIA Director William Burns recently indicated some of Kiev’s successes in drone warfare is a result of his agency’s intelligence.
The officials speaking about the program did not detail what drone systems Kiev developed through the program. The officials did note Ukraine’s success in targeting Russia’s Black Sea fleet with sea drones and that drones had slowed the Russian advance.
Kiev has increasingly attacked targets inside Russia with missiles and drones. Ukraine has hit civilian buildings, Moscow’s energy infrastructure, and radars for Russia’s nuclear weapons early warning systems.
Moscow has often retaliated against Kiev’s drone and missile attacks on Russia with bombings of Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure. Additionally, the Kremlin usually views Washington as being behind Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil.
Kyle Anzalone is the opinion editor of Antiwar.com and news editor of the Libertarian Institute. He hosts The Kyle Anzalone Show and is co-host of Conflicts of Interest with Connor Freeman.
The corrupt USA MIC used Ukraine to test drones in warfare.
Meanwhile, Russia's hypersonic missiles were untouched by USA missile defenses. Drones are slow.
Frist hypersonic missiles and drones have different functions.
Second, Russian hypersonic have been shot down in Ukraine. A fact verified by a simple Google search.
Third, don't get over impressed by the term hypersonic missile. The V2 rocket was nearly hypersonic speed and USA AIM-54C made back 1974 was hypersonic.
"Moscow has often retaliated against Kiev’s drone and missile attacks on Russia with bombings of Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure."
Since Moscow started the war, it is Kyiv who is retaliating (in self-defense) not Moscow. Moreover, Russia has typically prefered to target Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure. Terrorism, genocide, meat waves, and scorched earth have always been Russia's preferred methods of war, while Ukraine is making a conserted effort to avoid civilian casualties and follow all the other rules of war. Besides just being a moral people, Ukrainians are on their best behavior because they are applying for membership in NATO and the EU. Slava Ukraini.
That is ridiculous.
Money, money, money!!!…
Happy Inauguration Day!
https://mskvremya.ru/article/2023/1520-poteri-ukrainy-za-vremya-spetsoperatsii
It's more like US Taxpayer Giveaways…!
Crap…! Russians are advancing slowly but surely on the ground… They don't need to advance in the sea…!
key word SLOWLY.
That's not how the used to be "second strongest army in the world" was supposed to advance.
The price in dead young Russian lives per squared kilometer is not worth the territorial gains.
This pace is not sustainable and it will destroy Russia in the end.
And your sea advance not being necessary in a country with 1,729 miles of coastline is a complete BS.