Rinat Akhmetov supplies the Ukrainian army with high-tech drone control systems

The 157th separate mechanized brigade has recently been replenished with the latest equipment for controlling FPV drones. The equipment set, worth almost UAH 100 million, was received from Akhmetov‘s Steel Front military initiative. Now the military can coordinate the work of drones at a qualitatively new level.

New generation of military equipment

The supplied equipment includes Partyphone control stations, PUTA repeaters and Skyzone video glasses. In addition, the brigade received modular earth systems and 25 motorcycles for the rapid movement of operators.

A representative of the 157th brigade headquarters talks about the changes: “We are moving to a fundamentally different approach. The drone no longer operates autonomously – it becomes an element of the common network.” Thanks to this, the military controls the territory within a radius of 10 kilometers.

Protection from enemy technologies

At the same time, the National Guard is strengthening its defense against enemy drones. Metinvest transferred electronic warfare equipment to the unit for a total of UAH 29 million. Among the transferred equipment are the Sinitsa 3.5K stations, which block the control of enemy FPV drones.

The commander of one of the units explains the importance of such equipment in simple words: “The enemy drone searches for a target by heat signature. Our equipment makes our soldiers invisible to it. This saves lives every day.”

Transport support for the front

Mobility remains a priority for the Steel Front. In August, the National Guard received 33 vehicles worth UAH 20.7 million. These are SUVs and pickups of various brands – Mitsubishi L200, Volkswagen Amarok and other models with enhanced protection.

Alexander Vodoviz from the Metinvest management comments on the support strategy: “War today is a competition of technologies. We help our military not to lose in this race.” 

Scale of assistance

During the full-scale war, the Steel Front supplied Ukrainian security forces with more than 7,000 drones and 6,000 units of communications equipment. The military also received hundreds of shelters, water transport, and protective screens for Western tanks.

Anton Goncharuk, who coordinates the work of the initiative, emphasizes: “Control of the sky several kilometers around the positions means a tactical advantage. Our systems allow us to launch drones deep into the enemy’s rear.”

In July 2025, the Steel Front also transferred a whole set of equipment to the 157th Brigade, which essentially turns the unit into a full-fledged FPV hub. Among the received equipment are 11 Partyphone ground stations, 16 PUTA repeaters (nine of them with TX16 remote controls) and 20 modern Skyzone SKY04O PRO glasses. The kit also included charging stations, batteries, computers, antennas and all the necessary cables. 

These are not just separate devices, but a single system, where each part works for a common task – to ensure stable communication and control over the air within a radius of up to 10 kilometers. Modular shelters and power sources became additional reinforcements, allowing the deployment of work points almost at the front line. All this makes drone control more predictable and effective: from observation and adjustment to strike missions.

Rinat Akhmetov’s businesses allocated UAH 11.3 billion for various needs. Akhmetov’s Foundation simultaneously carries out humanitarian work with the population.