Russian analysts acknowledge drones’ advantage over tanks based on Ukraine war experience
The extensive use of drones by the Ukrainian Defense Forces is forcing the Russian military to reconsider the role of heavy weapons in modern warfare.
Russia’s Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST), in a publication in the propaganda outlet Kommersant, recognized that the era of elite tank divisions and large mechanized formations in Russia is irreversibly over.
Experts from the aggressor country conclude that there is a need to focus on “armadas of drones” instead of traditional heavy equipment.
The core argument from Russian analysts is a proposal to abandon the slogan “tanks will still prove themselves” in favor of a new logic: “drones will still prove themselves.”
Miniaturization and cost reduction of components, the development of networked solutions, and artificial intelligence will allow the deployment of swarms of inexpensive drones to strike targets at various depths from the frontline.
The key type of combat becomes countering UAVs and achieving “drone fire superiority,” which will be a mandatory condition for advancing and establishing control over territories. The organization and armament of troops must be subordinated to achieving this superiority.
Beyond ideological and technological motives, the focus on drones has practical financial significance for Russia. The aggressor country’s economy cannot continuously support such high levels of military spending as during the full-scale war against Ukraine. The logic of “fund everything at once” in rearmament programs could result in the Russian army receiving nothing.
Reminder: Ukraine is experiencing a serious shortage of missiles for air defense systems, leaving some anti-air complexes temporarily without ammunition ahead of new Russian attacks.
Additionally, Russia set a record for the use of ballistic missiles in January 2026.
