The “death zone” on the front lines briefly slowed the Russian advance with Ukrainian drones, but the Russians, filling the skies with hundreds of drones, are steadily advancing on Kharkiv, Kupyansk and Zaporizhia.
A weary Ukrainian platoon commander speaks of the transformed nature of modern warfare as his soldiers are evacuated from the front lines. Kamikaze drones. Surveillance drones. Attack drones. Drones that kill other drones.
These machines are flooding the skies in huge numbers. They are cheap, they are deadly and they are one of the main reasons why Russia is now advancing on the battlefields.
Ukrainian soldiers describe the drone-filled air corridor that covers about 10 km. on either side of the contact line as a “death zone” because unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) deployed by both sides can quickly locate and neutralize targets.
The war’s evolution into the most intense drone conflict in history has reduced the ability of massed mechanized forces to exploit their traditional advantages of large numbers of troops, artillery and tanks.
Any large vehicle operating close to the front is now an obvious target, meaning Russian forces can no longer mount the kind of rapid advance they did in 2022 with columns of armored vehicles, experts say.
“The enemy sees you clearly,” “It doesn’t matter where you go or what you drive.” “Russia has accordingly adjusted its tactics,” Ukrainian battlefield commanders said.
Its forces now typically attack in small groups of five or six—infantrymen on motorcycles or quads—in an attempt to expose Ukrainian positions, drawing fire from them, then launching drone strikes on them, wiping them out. Despite the changes in the war, Russian forces are maintaining their momentum and making slow but steady progress in eastern and northern Ukraine.
Russia has also advanced considerably in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology after being behind at the beginning of the war, according to military analysts, and like its enemy, is producing drones domestically at a rate of millions a year.
The conflict in Ukraine has also highlighted the importance of mobility and concealment.
Units are trained to quickly set up and dismantle command posts and to use structures to hide from drone surveillance.
The war in Ukraine has also affected the US military’s increased reliance on artillery and drones.
The NTC now simulates a significantly higher number of artillery strikes per day, using computer simulations to model the strikes. Commercial drones, similar to those used in the Ukrainian conflict, are also used in training.
The high casualty rates seen in Ukraine have led to a reassessment of combat strategies. Training now simulates higher casualties, prompting discussions about evacuation strategies, unit effectiveness after losses, and the integration of new units.
In addition, the Ukrainian war highlighted the importance of information warfare. Both Russia and Ukraine used mass media for strategic advantage.
In training exercises, simulated enemy forces used AI models such as ChatGPT to spread propaganda on virtual social media platforms, highlighting the importance of countering disinformation.
Yet despite technological and strategic changes, the essence of warfare remains rooted in coordination and training.
EU, Trump try to save Kiev
Meanwhile, European leaders are trying to sort out President Donald Trump’s announcement this week that America will supply weapons to Ukraine through NATO, with Europe footing the bill.
Many details remain unclear, including the types and quantities of the weapons, the speed of their delivery and the exact method of payment, American and European officials said this week.
The White House did not respond to questions about the procurement plan.
Spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the war had been going on for too long and Trump wanted to end the killings, as did the sale of US weapons to NATO for Ukraine and the threat of tough sanctions on Russia.
But the Russian military is advancing steadily, and when it gets where the Russian leadership in Moscow wants it, it will discuss the US president’s proposals, according to experts at Russian defense institutes.
