Ukrainian drones are depleting the Russian army faster than it can be replenished

Since December 2025, confirmed Russian personnel losses from Ukrainian drone strikes have outpaced the rate of mobilization in the aggressor country. 

This was stated in an interview with The Economist by Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF). According to his data, since the beginning of winter, Ukrainian drones have taken out at least 8,776 more occupiers than the Russian Federation has been able to replace with new recruits.

The UAS commander emphasized the units’ exceptionally high effectiveness: for every Ukrainian operator killed, 400 invaders are eliminated, and the cost of taking out a single enemy averages $878. Thanks to strict safety protocols, the cumulative loss rate in the Unmanned Systems Forces does not exceed 1%. Brovdi emphasized that the strategy involves exchanging “plastic and metal for dead Russians,” which is the most advantageous approach for preserving the lives of Ukrainian defenders.

The UAS Operations Command is based on a unique ecosystem of 15 interconnected functions—ranging from electronic warfare and surveillance to mining and in-house explosives production. Specialized software, repurposed from business analytics, is used to monitor and verify each mission. While the Netherlands is only preparing to become the first NATO country with full drone integration, Ukrainian units are already implementing concepts that, according to Brovdi, Western generals have not yet fully grasped.

These technological advances are unfolding against the backdrop of the ongoing defense of the Donetsk region, where the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled the loss of Platonivka and Minkivka, eliminating over 180 occupiers in a single day. At the same time, Ukraine continues to receive international support, including funding from Germany for the production of 15,000 Strila interceptor drones. On the humanitarian front, the government has updated the rules for payments to displaced persons, and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is warning citizens about the enemy’s attempts to recruit perpetrators for terrorist attacks on social media.

As a reminder, Russia has launched an offensive against the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ defensive line in Donetsk Oblast.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces also thwarted a Russian offensive planned for March.