Ukraine marked the thirty-fifth anniversary of the country’s declaration of independence this week with a novel military parade made up exclusively of unmanned systems. This drone parade in the center of Kyiv was touted as the first of its kind, underlining Ukraine’s emergence as a global leader in the field of drone warfare.
Ukraine’s drone superpower status is a key aspect of the country’s remarkable wartime transformation. Since 2022, Russia’s full-scale invasion has fueled the unprecedented expansion of the Ukrainian armed forces and the dramatic growth of the country’s once stagnant defense industry. As a result, Ukraine has become a major military power that is now redefining the art of war.
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When Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, the initial stages of the war differed little from the major conflicts of the late twentieth century, with both sides relying heavily on artillery and tanks. In order to counter Russia’s overwhelming advantages in terms of manpower and firepower, Ukraine was soon experimenting with the use of cheap drones in surveillance and attack roles. Drones also allowed Ukraine to reduce its dependence on military aid from the country’s Western partners, which was often subject to delays and vulnerable to changing political moods.
