David Kirichenko
The Washington Post previously reported that “cheap drones” deployed in Ukraine have fundamentally changed modern warfare, initially giving Ukrainian forces an edge on a battlefield where they are consistently outnumbered and outgunned. Drones now play a versatile and essential role in Ukraine’s defense, handling reconnaissance, directing artillery, evacuating soldiers, and executing bombing attacks. Notably, FPV (first-person view) drones are used to drop explosives or serve as single-use kamikaze drones, wreaking havoc on infantry sitting on the frontline trenches and limiting the use of heavy armor on the front.
In March 2023, Ukrainian officials revealed that the country required 20,000 artillery shells daily to sustain its ground operations, supported by around 300 Western-made artillery systems. This volume was essential for maintaining the intensity of Ukraine’s battlefield actions. However, supplies have consistently fallen short. At its peak, Ukraine managed to secure 9,000 shells per day—less than half the required amount—allowing for somewhat sustained operations. Recently, however, daily supplies have dwindled to just 2,000 shells most often.
In response to these shortages, Ukrainian units have increasingly relied on drones, especially FPVs, to strike targets when artillery fire is limited. These drones provide significant tactical advantages, offering precision strikes and reconnaissance capabilities that can disrupt enemy operations. For example, Ukraine has deployed “Dragon drones” that release thermite on Russian positions, igniting enemy cover and forcing exposure. However, as Stacie Pettyjohn pointed out in War on the Rocks, “even large numbers of small drones cannot match the potency or volume of artillery fire and thus cannot substitute for howitzers.”
Nonetheless, Ukrainian drone units are holding entire parts for the frontline like in Chasiv Yar. The Ukrainian drone unit Yasni Ochi, part of the 23rd Mechanized Brigade in the Avdiivka sector, in a six month period, the 150-strong team eliminated over 1,500 Russian soldiers, either killed or injured, while incurring minimal casualties.
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