Use of drones expands grey and combat zones on front line

In 2024, the disputed grey zones on the front line ranged from 500 metres to two kilometres in depth, but due to the increased use of drones, they have expanded to five to seven kilometres in some areas. Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Quote: "Continuous technological innovations and battlefield adaptations have increasingly transformed the character of modern conventional warfare in Ukraine into a war that primarily features 'long-range, remote combat'...."

Details: ISW reports, citing the Ukrainian military, that Russian forces are improving their drone systems and copying Ukraine's tactics, using drones to intercept enemy vehicles and lay mines from a distance.

Ukrainian forces, on the other hand, are effectively using drones to protect important areas of the front line, which also reduces the need for people and equipment.

The ISW stressed that both Ukrainian and Russian forces are increasingly using fibre-optic drones to attack enemy positions and, in recent months, have successfully used first-person view (FPV) drones to intercept large reconnaissance vehicles.

Background:

On 7 September 2024, CNN reported that the Ukrainian military was using "dragon drones" that employ molten metal as payload against the Russians on the battlefield.
In April, Putin said that Russian troops lacked FPV drones and called for an increase in the production of equipment to continue hostilities.

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