In the army, we were taught that for every soldier at the front, there are nine people working in the rear, but for each combat pilot, there are 100 people working, and this extends from Kharkiv in flight cafeteria to a defense engineer at the enterprise.

Nowadays, the rear and logistics are considered decisive for winning the war.

So we are officers, former engineers, scientists, and faculty members of the military

Higher Military Aviation Institute of Ukraine, who have been developing much of what is now being implemented in drones.

When we heard the authorities' statement about creating drone strike units, we smiled.

Because we started forming this unit from the very first days of the war. We initiated the registration of units in the Armed Forces and Territorial Defense, and established fortifications in the northern bridge area with the employees of "X-park."

- Lyosha, which cocktails do you like more? With "Beherivka" or with "Jagermaster"?

- We can open our own bar!

And by the eighth month, on the territory of "Muromets" park, it had become almost a perfect high-tech drone cluster, which included all the necessary infrastructure. from drone testing grounds and laboratories to classrooms and placement areas specialized units with energy-independent systems and mobile control centers and PRO vehicles.

We remember very well how, at the beginning of the war nine years ago in 2014 our group of companies gave computers and smartphones to three air brigades for free, because before it they were working on computers from the 90s. The commanders had old telephones with buttons, they were printing on dot matrix printers. Even the paint used to color the fighters

we were buying. Not to mention that the authorities could have at least tried to modernize these old tin cans. It felt like déjà vu when everything repeated itself in 2022 at the beginning of the war.

The state did nothing to ensure that the military received the most modern technologies.

Perhaps everything went into large-scale construction. But I hope that at least now the government will understand that without a prosecutor and a deputy, Ukrainians can survive somehow, but without aviation, which protects the airspace, there will be neither the state, nor the prosecutor, nor themselves. From the very first days of the shelling and assault on Kyiv, we repurposed concert venues of our music festivals into an ideal drone launch pad, from which we launched UAVs for aerial reconnaissance, from Hostomel to Brovary.

We organized interaction with the front, pilot training on rotation, integration of the wounded and interaction with the British Embassy and drone manufacturers. But during all this time, we did not receive a single drone from the state and not a penny of financial assistance for infrastructure, everything was bought at our own expense and with the help of volunteer funds with funds collected from the population and business donors. I am very grateful to the leadership of the Desnyanskyi district and the city of Kyiv for their organizational assistance. And in the rest, complete chaos and lack of coordination on the part of the authorities. The terrible bureaucracy of the Ministry of Defense buried most of the effective proposals, because of this, for example the UAV division took six months to complete.

Contracts for the placement of the subdivision were not concluded, and as a result, 2 million utility bills fell on our shoulders .

Strangely enough, during the war, even the employees of the SBI began to attack our enterprise at the location of our unit.

- You are filming the investigation now.

- No, this is not an investigative action.

- [Denying]

We made this location at the beginning of the war at the request of the military, we had to disperse a special squad, because after the missile strikes on the Yavoriv training ground, several were killed in the barracks people died, more than a hundred people. There were also strikes in Desna, where many people lost their lives as well.

The barracks just collapsed downwards, all the floors. All these premises were vacated after an inspection from the SBI appeared here. They told the military that there are some problems here, under investigation, so the military had to gather all their belongings and move into a tent outside. What a nightmare! Our defenders, the military, and the territorial defense complain because it was much more comfortable for them here than in the tents.

The conditions here were safer and warmer and now, in winter, they have to sleep in tents outside, in sleeping bags, it’s very cold for them there; they are freezing and getting sick.

By the way, a guy from our "Northern" fortified area shot down a cruise missile near an energy facility.

- Well done, please look into the camera.

- A precise hit on the target with the first bursts, elimination

We had to set everything up ourselves. Entrepreneurs and citizens realized that during the war, the state should be treated the same way as in peacetime. If they are unable to help, then at least do not interfere. State officials, even the seized buildings of the Ministry of Defense and the National Guard with the participation of the company "Ukrbuild", did not agree to give it to the units of the Armed Forces for location.

When I heard that these buildings couldn't be used for the Armed Forces and Territorial Defense, the decision was framed with the phrase, "Well, you know who's behind this!"

- this was a hint about Mr. Tatorov and Mr. Yarmak. I realized that it is useless to talk with these criminals. And then we gave our houses and estates to the UAV unit. This is an example when during the war, entrepreneurs and businessmen transfer a private estate to military units in order to increase the combat effectiveness of our armed forces of Ukraine.

After seeing billions of hryvnias passing through "Union 24" and "Army of Drones" the state eventually realized that buying a drone, even the most expensive one, would do nothing without a professional pilot.

On the contrary, it is damage from a lost drone and funds. To destroy the enemy effectively,

it is necessary to create a training infrastructure. laboratories, and most importantly, solving elementary household conditions. Because if a fighter does not worry about where to sleep, where to wash, where to eat, where to park the drone-mobile, store weapons and equipment, only then he will be able to devote all his energy to preparing for the fight and training.

Here is plenty of areas to comfortably accommodate personnel, the wide square footage of the room allows for self-study and self-training. There are enough beds allocated to us.

We are allow not to be distracted by everyday issues, and we can focus on training thanks to the comfortable conditions. The necessary skills should include not only the ability to operate drones and proficiency with weapons, but also basic things, such as training drivers to reach positions across the rough terrain of the front.

In this line of work, every detail is important, and it requires thorough training.

- Fighters are comfortably accommodated, so they will be able to rest well.

- They are training well right now, so they will perform their duties at a high level as well.

And probably everyone understands how easy and quick it is to embezzle funds from procurement, for example, from drones, which is why there are plenty of contenders for this disgraceful act from "above."

That’s why no one is interested in organizing infrastructure and support in the rear.

And the state has once again withdrawn from both financing and organization.

Once again, all these problems had to be solved by the military and volunteers.

- We want to thank Mr. Yuriy for letting us into his home. We are very grateful to you for these comfortable living conditions. Thank you!

- I graduated from KVAIIU, and when I came here today first of all, I felt again the atmosphere of our military aviation barracks, as in my youth,

I could feel the presence of aviation expertise in the air; it was very palpable.

We are a very brave nation, but we can't defeat the enemy with firearms alone in order to win, we must also connect science and high technologies.

And that's exactly what you do. We are a country of future integrated technological wars, and UAVs are an integral basis of these wars. Creative volunteers have created stickers with honey, it is very convenient for the front. They also feed our UAV units with this same honey. Check out the design they came up with the Bayraktar pattern. The guys really like it.

- This product is produced by Bendera bees! This product is created to inspire and provide motivation for fulfilling military tasks, while this one is for poetic enjoyment.

When the state is powerless, the self-organization of Ukrainians and entrepreneurs kicks in.

It is not the state, the president, or the deputies, but exclusively thanks to them that we will win this war. When we, along with the Armed Forces and volunteers, all self-organized and established all the processes, the state began to make maximum use of the drone testing ground and even our facilities with properties as infrastructure for strike drone units. It’s nice to be praised, and even received awards, but during this time, we have already moved to a completely new level.

The next question was how to destroy the enemy efficiently and optimally, to inflict maximum damage with minimal costs. The selection of effective drones has begun. Leaders appeared and even a whole rating of professionalism of sniper strike pilots and UAV units. Only with the combination of a technological drone and a professionally trained pilot of a cohesive team = maximum effectiveness in eliminating the enemy.

The front lines are already recognizing their work. One such UAV platoon has reached the front line identified targets and launched a Kamikaze strike on several dozens of targets, while the second unit moved in and only lost drones. And with requests like "We’re here on the front line, give us more drones," and returned to the rear. So, without quality training, deploying units to the front line is just a waste of the resources of volunteers and the state.

On the other hand, many fighters, after severe injuries, treatment and rehabilitation, still want to go to the front again to destroy the russians. Unfortunately, after being wounded, their physical capabilities are limited to actively participate in combat clashes in the trenches. Therefore, they see their effectiveness in conducting aerial reconnaissance with UAVs and destroying the enemy with shock drone or kamikadze .

The rehabilitation center of base 4.5.0 within the framework of "Drone Polygon", "Muromets" and the center "Pandora" is already training the second detachment of pilots, wounded, veterans .

Our "Drone cluster" in terms of infrastructure quality is close to ideal for a strike company of drones. Once again, we emphasize that all this exemplary infrastructure was created solely at the initiative of the military, volunteers and at the expense and at the facilities of entrepreneurs. The state eventually assessed that our self-organized "Drone clusters" could become a model for cloning throughout the country.

And we have many plans, the enemy is waiting for many surprises from an intellectual and high-tech nation!

Yuriy Zozulya (businessman, philanthropist, public figure, founder and investor of Хpark, president Ukrainian Wake Federation UWF, officer)