At the command post of the 3rd Army Corps, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with warriors of the 21st Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment “Kraken.”
Commander of the 21st Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment “Kraken,” Oleh Romanov, reported on the unit’s role in Operation Vivaldi, as well as operations to disrupt the occupiers’ logistics at medium range and the regiment’s needs.
The Head of State also spoke separately with commanders of units from the 21st Regiment and other elements of the Unmanned Systems Forces serving as part of the 3rd Army Corps. They discussed scaling up the military’s unmanned capabilities, developing UGV capabilities, and providing crews with vehicles and armored equipment.
They also discussed the need to change the allocation of E-points. According to the military, it is important to provide fairer rewards not only for strikes that have an immediate effect, but also for operations that have lasting consequences for the enemy.
The President thanked the warriors of the 21st Regiment, the 125th Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade, and the 25th Separate Anti-Tank Battalion for defending Ukraine, congratulated them on the upcoming Day of Defenders of Ukraine, and commended them for the successful execution of Operation Vivaldi.
“Of course, I want to thank you for a very successful operation. For your courage, your heroism, and for the right result that brings our country closer to justice. And justice means victory over the Rashists. Thank you for your service,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The Head of State presented the Order of the Golden Star to the Hero of Ukraine, Senior Lieutenant Andrii Kupriianov. Since 2022, he has risen from platoon commander to mechanized battalion commander. He took part in the defense and liberation of areas in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. He personally led counteroffensive and assault operations near Bakhmut, Khromove, Kurdiumivka, Klishchiivka, and settlements near Kramatorsk. In August–September 2026, as part of Operation Vivaldi, battalion units under his command not only liberated settlements but also cut the enemy’s logistics and isolated Russian forces from reinforcements. This created conditions for the further advance of the Defense Forces, led to the destruction of nearly 200 occupiers, and added about 20 more Russians to our prisoner exchange pool.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also presented the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, III class, to three warriors; the Orders “For Courage,” II and III classes, to seven; and the Medal “For Military Service to Ukraine” to three more.
