Ukrainian drones have changed the rules of war
The Ukrainian military has not only seized the initiative but also redefined the very logic of drone use on the front lines. Drones are increasingly becoming a tool that disrupts Russian troop supply lines, destroys equipment, and hinders the occupiers’ artillery operations.
In recent months, drones have become one of the key factors on the battlefield. While Russia previously tried to impose its own rules in the drone war, the situation has now changed. According to Ivan Kyrychevsky, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have not only caught up with the enemy but have also imposed their own strategy for using drones. “We have taken the initiative from the Russians not only in the use of drones but also in the strategy of how to turn a drone itself into a tool for success on the battlefield,” he emphasized.
Today, Ukrainian drones are increasingly operating not only against individual targets on the front lines. Their primary mission is now to destroy the enemy’s logistics. This includes trucks, warehouses, and supply routes for ammunition and fuel. Because of this, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Russian units to supply their troops with everything they need.
This particularly affects artillery, which has traditionally been one of the Russian army’s strongest assets. Without a steady supply of shells, even large artillery groups lose their effectiveness.
According to Kyrychevsky, Ukrainian operators are creating a sort of strike zone extending up to 10–15 kilometers from the front line. In this zone, any Russian equipment risks becoming a target. And we’re not just talking about vehicles or armored vehicles.
Ukrainian drones are increasingly targeting heavy trucks, tractor-trailers, and even railway locomotives that supply Russian troops. As a result, the enemy is forced to spend additional resources on protecting its supply routes.
Kyrychevsky cited one particularly telling example. In mid-November, at the junction of the Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions, Ukrainian forces thwarted a mechanized assault by Russian troops. During that operation, they managed to destroy several rare T-80BV tanks, which the Russians had specifically reinforced to protect against drone attacks.
Due to the large number of protective elements installed, these vehicles even earned the unofficial nickname “porcupines.” Despite this, Ukrainian operators found a way to destroy them.
According to the expert, in just under two years of operation, the “Raid” unit has struck at least seven thousand Russian targets. This includes both equipment and personnel, artillery systems, depots, and other critical facilities. Kyrychevsky is convinced that these results even surpass the performance of the Russian “Rubicon” unit, which is heavily promoted by Russian propaganda.
In the expert’s view, Ukraine’s success in the drone war is not so much due to the drones themselves. The main factor is people. It was the well-trained operators, engineers, and commanders who were able to quickly adapt to the new conditions of war and find effective solutions. “Ukraine is now demonstrating success in using drones on the battlefield not because the relevant technologies were invented, but because there are determined people who can turn any drone into a deadly weapon,” said Kyrychevsky.
According to the expert, the current results did not appear in a matter of weeks. They are the result of systematic work that lasted many months. Ukrainian units gradually gained experience, refined their tactics, and learned to target the enemy’s most vulnerable points.
Today, this is already yielding noticeable results on the front lines. Drones are having an increasingly significant impact on the course of hostilities, and Russian troops are forced to find new ways to defend against Ukrainian attacks. That is precisely why the drone war remains one of the key aspects of the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia. This was explained by Ivan Kyrychevsky, a serviceman with the 413th “Raid” Unmanned Systems Regiment and an arms expert.
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