Ukraine’s newly appointed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said one of the country’s key strategic goals in the war is to inflict losses on Russian forces at a rate of up to 50,000 soldiers eliminated per month.
Speaking during an off-the-record meeting with journalists, Fedorov said that Ukrainian Defense Forces eliminated about 35,000 Russian troops last month, with all losses confirmed by video evidence.
“The strategic goal is to kill 50,000 Russians per month. If we reach this figure, we will see what happens to the enemy,” Fedorov said, as quoted by RBC-Ukraine.
According to Fedorov, Russia treats manpower as expendable, but signs are already emerging that it is struggling to replenish its losses.
Fedorov said the Defense Ministry has detailed, verified data on Russian losses thanks to the Army of Drones.Bonus system. A key component of this system is the so-called ePoints mechanism, which allows for precise accounting of Russia’s losses.
The minister said this gives Ukraine a clear picture of which units and weapons are most effective, the depth of damage inflicted, and daily Kremlin losses.
“We know war from the battlefield, not from offices,” Fedorov added. “But war is not only about combat operations. It’s also about management, logistics, supply and cognitive warfare.”
As the next step, the Defense Ministry plans to launch a Mission Control project that will allow real-time tracking of drone types, flight routes, launch locations and mission effectiveness.
Fedorov said work on the metric tracking project has been underway for nearly two years.
Once fully implemented for drones, the system will be scaled up to artillery, he added.
The ministry will also begin compiling full statistics on drone crews, including unit commanders, monthly performance ratings and unit efficiency indicators.
Fedorov recalled that Ukraine was the first country to launch large-scale, real-time research and development (R&D) in areas such as drone interceptors. He said 40,000 interceptor drones are expected to be delivered to the military this month.
Ukraine is also working to reduce its dependence on Chinese-made drones. According to Fedorov, testing is underway for a Ukrainian analogue to the Mavic drone, featuring the same camera but a longer flight range.
Another priority, he said, is targeting Russian drone operators directly. Specialized units are being formed to hunt them down on the battlefield.
“Such experience already exists. Now it needs to be scaled up,” Fedorov said.
He also announced the development of drone assault units with new staffing structures and operational doctrines. According to Fedorov, the Code 9.2 unit recently carried out a unique operation in Kupyansk, Kharkiv region, demonstrating the effectiveness of the new approach.
“The future belongs to drone assault units. You will hear about them later,” the minister said.
Fedorov stressed that President Volodymyr Zelensky has set a clear task: to make the cost of war for Russia so high that it cannot sustain it.
This includes stopping Russian forces both in the air and on the ground, increasing asymmetric and cyberstrikes, and exerting pressure on Russia’s economy.
He also pledged to deepen cooperation with international partners, seek additional funding, and build large datasets to train artificial intelligence models.
“We clearly understand the Defense Ministry’s budget deficit for this year. We know where funds are being spent and where savings are possible,” Fedorov said. “We have all the necessary experience to change the rules of the game.”
The Verkhovna Rada approved Fedorov’s appointment on Jan. 14, with 277 lawmakers voting in favor. At 35, he is the youngest defense minister in Ukraine’s history.
A Yale School of Management graduate, Fedorov previously served as Minister for Digital Transformation, where he led a sweeping digitization of state services.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, he has also overseen key drone procurement and battlefield technology initiatives.