Drones have changed the course of the war in Ukraine like tanks in World War I - The Washington Post

The large number of UAVs in Ukraine operating on both sides of the zero line has turned the "gray zone" into a "death zone" where anyone who dares to move, day or night, is a target for attacks. Initially, the use of drones gave Ukrainian troops an advantage on the battlefield, but the Russians quickly realized their effectiveness and began mass-producing their own drones as well.

Combined with the vast minefields, lack of ammunition and soldiers, drones have become a key factor in making it "virtually impossible" for the Ukrainian army to regain territory. The Washington Post writes about this.

There areapproximately 100 drones within a 10-kilometer radius of the battlefield, and it is very difficult to determine who exactly owns them.

Andrew Coté, chief of staff of BRINC Drones, a company that supplies equipment to Ukraine, noted that drones in Ukraine are changing the situation as much as tanks did during World War I.

"What we are witnessing now is a blitzkrieg of unmanned warfare. It's a pretty dead-end situation, because if you are out in the open, you will be hunted," Coté said.

The saturation of unmanned aerial vehicles, many of which are equipped with thermal imaging cameras for nighttime operation, has significantly narrowed the safe zone for troops as they have become easy to spot. This has resulted in significant casualties and has made it much more difficult for either side to make a major breakthrough in recent months.

These circumstances, along with widespread minefields and a shortage of ammunition and troops, make it virtually impossible for Ukraine to regain control of the territories as it did in 2022.

As Russia has begun mass production of drones, Ukraine plans to produce more than a million units this year to prevent a further Russian offensive. This task is becoming even more urgent as Kyiv's stockpile of ammunition for artillery and air defense is rapidly dwindling.

The current severe shortage of 155mm shells means that even if reconnaissance drones detect dozens of targets, only a few of them may be attacked.

"If we don't get enough ammunition, we will lose this war," said Denys, 31, a drone commander in Ukraine's 45th Brigade.

Earlier it was reported that the lack of weapons suffered by the Ukrainian army could lead to dire consequences. If Western partners do not step up their support, the Defense Forces may eventually be forced to retreat as far as the Dnipro River this summer, when Russia plans a new offensive.

Earlier, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on the West to urgently provide assistance to Ukraine. He is convinced that the West should do this immediately. After all, if Ukraine falls, it will be a catastrophic turning point in history and a complete humiliation of the West.

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