Ukrainian soldiers are forced to heavily rely on drones, even when other weapons might work better

"There was a certain amount of awareness, there was kind of a frustration with the missions that we were being called on to carry out, the people flying the missions, they knew that we were kind of wasting drones. For militaries that have the luxury of time and maybe the luxury of money, I think moving into sort of something a little bit more sophisticated makes more sense."

"Kyiv's reliance on drones is often driven less by doctrine than by shortages of other systems, a distinction that matters as Western militaries consider reshaping their own forces. Ukrainian soldiers are often relying heavily on drones, even using them when other weaponry would be better for some tasks."

Ukraine's military has become heavily dependent on drone technology, with 80% of strikes now involving drones. However, this reliance stems primarily from shortages of alternative weapons systems rather than strategic doctrine. NATO veterans and US military trainers who fought in Ukraine report that soldiers frequently use drones for missions better suited to other weaponry, particularly artillery. This distinction is significant as Western militaries study Ukraine's experience to reshape their own forces. Militaries with greater resources and time can develop more sophisticated, balanced approaches rather than over-relying on a single technology.

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