Germany will supply Ukraine with AI-powered drones known as mini-Taurus.
Ukraine is expected to begin receiving innovative strike drones equipped with artificial intelligence technology from Germany as early as December.
This information comes from Bild, citing informed sources.
German company Helsing, which specializes in AI technology development, signed a contract with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense in September 2024.
Under the agreement, 4,000 of these drones are to be delivered to Kyiv.
These drones, referred to as mini-Taurus, differ from traditional operator-controlled "kamikaze" drones.
They are equipped with advanced AI software that effectively navigates around Russian GPS jamming systems and other electronic warfare measures. Functionally, these devices are similar to the Taurus cruise missiles, the delivery of which has yet to be approved by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Bild reported that the new drones have a flight range four times greater than that of Ukrainian UAVs. They are capable of destroying tanks, fortified positions, and moving targets.
Moreover, their cost is significantly lower than that of their counterparts – the American Switchblade 600 (approximately 100,000 euros per unit) and the Russian Zala Lancet (35,000 euros).
A source from the defense industry told BILD: “The drone autonomously analyzes the terrain, using thousands of landmarks to determine its location. This helps the operator maintain course even in challenging weather conditions or devastated areas. Helsing can strike targets even in the event of lost radio communication, provided a soldier has pre-set the command. Their accuracy is significantly higher compared to fully manually controlled combat drones.”German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius commented on the upcoming supplies amid a large-scale missile strike by Russia on Ukraine on Sunday, November 17.
“I am very pleased that the delivery of these AI-equipped strike drones is starting right now. This weapon will enable the Ukrainian Armed Forces to strike priority Russian military targets, such as command centers or logistics facilities,” he said in a conversation with Bild.
Germany, however, continues to refuse to supply Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles, which have a range of 500 km – exceeding that of the American ATACMS or British-French Storm Shadow and Scalp.
Background. Recall that Chancellor Scholz recently stated that he is proud of his contribution to ensuring "there is no escalation in Ukraine." He emphasized that he has not changed his mind about prohibiting Ukraine from striking deep into Russia with German weapons.