Ukraine is relying more and more on affordable aerial drones to defend against escalating Russian attacks.
According to a NATO official in an interview with Foreign Policy, it was revealed that Ukrainian first-person view (FPV) drones played a significant role in causing two-thirds of the recent Russian tank losses.
Ukraine’s heavy reliance on drones may seem like a success, but it actually highlights the country’s lack of alternative options.
Ukraine continues to grapple with persistent shortages of artillery rounds and other essential weaponry that are typically employed to engage armored vehicles.
During the war, the military has employed FPV drones for various tasks, such as conducting surveillance and launching attacks on enemy positions, in order to compensate for this disadvantage.
Soldiers fly drones fitted with explosives into Russian tanks, controlling them remotely through a video screen.
Ukrainian troops recently informed The New York Times that Russia’s electronic warfare units, responsible for remotely disrupting drone control signals, have only achieved limited success in countering their effectiveness against tanks and armored vehicles.
The importance of drones in Ukraine is undeniable, as evidenced by the country’s significant increase in production. Ukrainian Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin stated last year that their goal is to manufacture tens of thousands of these devices every month.
However, there are drawbacks to using drones. While they provide valuable surveillance and intelligence capabilities, they cannot substitute for the much-needed artillery shells and ammunition that Ukraine lacks. Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress have been impeding the passage of a $60 billion aid bill, exacerbating the country’s shortage.
During an interview with Axel Springer media outlets published on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that while Ukraine produces a significant number of drones, they should not be considered as a substitute for any type of weapon.
“We are demonstrating our capabilities with drones, and I firmly believe that the increase in production is greatly beneficial,” Zelenskyy emphasized. “However, it’s important to note that drones cannot replace air defense systems or long-range weapons such as missiles and artillery.”
FPV drones, compared to missiles and artillery, have a limited range of approximately six miles. However, the latter can accurately hit targets from much farther distances.
According to Rob Lee, a senior fellow in the Eurasia program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, the accuracy of drones is only about 50%. In order to successfully eliminate a tank, a skilled drone operator would have to employ multiple waves of drone attacks.
According to Lee, it is not easy to destroy a tank with FPV drones right away. He mentioned that it often requires at least 10 or more drones to successfully take down a tank.
