Ukraine celebrated Independence Day this week with a novel military parade made up exclusively of unmanned systems, underlining the country’s emergence as a global leader in the field of drone warfare, writes Mykola Bielieskov.

It was not soldiers marching down Kyiv's main parade to mark 35 years of Ukrainian independence, but robots designed to take their place on the frontline.

Ukraine marked Independence Day with a first-of-its-kind military showcase in Kyiv, putting drones at the centre of the parade. Ground, aerial and naval unmanned systems were…