3 June 2026

Ukraine turns real-life kills into video game thrills for drone pilots

The Washington Post  |  Anastacia Galouchka, Serhii Korolchuk

Ukraine's "Army of Drones Bonus system," or ePoints, uniquely rewards frontline drone pilots with points and prizes for incapacitating or killing Russian soldiers and destroying military equipment, redeemable for more drones under the philosophy: "The more you destroy, the more you receive." This system contributed to over 35,200 Russian troops incapacitated or killed last month, marking the fifth consecutive month Moscow lost more troops than it could mobilize.

Ukrainian officials doubled points for gravely wounding or killing soldiers in the fall, shifting focus to infantry as Russian forces pulled equipment back. President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted a successful operation where Ukrainian forces took a Russian position using only unmanned platforms, without infantry losses. While Russian forces also ramp up drone strikes, creating an 18-24 mile "gray zone," military analysts note "relative parity at the tactical level" in drone capabilities. Ukraine aims for an "optimal level" of 50,000 Russian losses monthly, primarily via drones, to exceed Russian reinforcement capacity and restore drone superiority for operational depth control.

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