A Ukrainian soldier launching a drone
Ukrainian servicemen fly a drone on the outskirts of Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine on December 30, 2022.
  • Ukraine said it had trained 10,000 drone pilots.
  • Ukraine's deputy prime minister said the "Army of Drones" initiative had raised $325 million.
  • Ukraine is expected to launch its anticipated counteroffensive to retake land occupied by Russia.

Ukraine said it had trained 10,000 drone pilots and raised hundreds of millions of dollars for drones ahead of the long-anticipated spring counteroffensive to retake territory occupied by Russia.

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's deputy prime minister and minister for innovation, said on Thursday that the pilots had been trained as part of the Army of Drones project, which is part of the fundraising platform Unite d24.