​The scandal with the new chief of Staff of the Forces of unmanned systems is smooth – the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially reacted

The Armed Forces of Ukraine issued an official statement regarding the scandal with the new chief of Staff of the Unmanned Systems Forces, Roman Gladkiy.

The appointment of the scandalous captain Roman Gladkiy as the commander of the headquarters of the new Forces of Unmanned Systems (SBS) caused a wide public outcry in Ukraine.

The SBS command made an official statement about this story on the morning of August 31. It was posted on the official APU Facebook channel.

Gladkiy’s appointment was the first to be sharply criticized by the influential Ukrainian OSINT project DeepState. He said that the SBS commander Vadim Sukharevsky personally opposed this candidacy, in connection with which a rift arose in the ranks of the new forces, the work was greatly complicated.

“Gladkovsky is a suspect in treason, espionage and corruption. My wife has a Moscow passport, and my daughter represented the Russian Federation in competitions. Is there really no decent chief of staff for the SBS in the entire Ukrainian army?” – DeepState was outraged. 

They also claim that Gladky has nothing to do with the topic of drones, and therefore his appointment to this critically important position looks doubtful.

The OSINT project was supported in this matter by the Ukrainian public, including well-known volunteers. However, the SBS command decided not to listen to this discontent.

The official commentary on the scandal spoke about the captain’s extensive experience in command posts. It was reported, in particular, that he “underwent specialized training in Canada“, and also took part in the anti-amphibious defense of Odessa.

The SBS also noted that Gladkiy passed the SBU inspection in 2018-2019 and gained access to information with the highest level of secrecy. Representatives of the new forces also called on the Ukrainian public to remain silent and endure.

“The forces of unmanned systems as a separate branch of the armed forces are at the stage of formation and development. This process requires understanding, patience, and sometimes silence,” the message said.

Previously Dialog.UA reported that in February 2024, the leader of Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky, signed a decree on the creation of a separate branch of the Armed Forces specializing in drones in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

A couple of months later, in May, the draft on the creation of the SBS was supported by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.