NEW YORK (Dispatches) – The U.S. played a crucial but secret role in helping Ukraine develop its drone industry following Kiev’s disastrous counteroffensive in 2023, officials told the New York Times, citing information that has been declassified by the administration of President Joe Biden.
Washington reportedly provided financial and technical assistance to Kiev’s drone program, the sources have told the outlet. While the U.S. had publicly admitted sending billions of dollars in missiles, air defense systems, tanks and training, details about support in other areas remained under wraps.
A tranche of some $1.5 billion paid in September 2024, reportedly allocated direct financial aid to drone manufacturers, intelligence-sharing, and collaboration between American technology firms and Ukrainian producers.
The funding reportedly began after Kiev’s first counteroffensive in fall 2022 and intensified after the 2023 effort, which ultimately failed due to Russia’s extensive defensive use of mines, artillery, and drones.
U.S. officials reportedly said that the losses incurred by Kiev pushed them to rapidly increase support to Ukrainian drone makers.
People familiar with the matter told the New York Times that the U.S. effort also included sending American intelligence officials to Ukraine to help build its drone program. 
In a related report, Russian troops have liberated more than 63% of the territory in Kursk Region previously occupied by the Ukrainian military, the Defense Ministry in Moscow announced, adding that this equates to 801 sq. km out of the 1,268 sq. km seized by Kiev’s forces during its August incursion.
In the first two weeks of January, units from the north military grouping reclaimed the villages of Alexandriya, Leonidovo, Russkoye Porechnoye, and Kruglenkoye, the Russian military announced on Telegram on Friday, according to RIA Novosti.
Over the past 24 hours, a Ukrainian counterattack aimed at halting the Russian advance near the village of Berdin was repelled. The Russian military reported inflicting significant losses on Ukrainian troops, forcing them to retreat to their original positions.
Ukraine’s losses in the area totaled more than 230 servicemen over the past 24 hours, according the Defense Ministry in Moscow. Destroyed equipment included a tank, three armored personnel carriers – two of which were U.S,-made Strykers – two armored combat vehicles, and four artillery pieces.