It has been months since Russia invaded Ukraine, but the war with no end in sight is still going on. The final goals of the relevant countries are also unclear.
It is difficult to know which side is seeking total victory or whether it is a last-minute struggle for an advantageous position in the peace negotiations. It is difficult for the war to end unless Ukraine has an absolute advantage in the war.
A variety of weapons were used in the Ukrainian war, including fighters, tanks, armored vehicles, missiles, drones, and stingers. In particular, the drone war between Ukraine and Russia raises interesting questions.
What drones were used in the Ukrainian war? Who has won the drone battle so far? What determines the dominance and inferiority of drone warfare? In high-intensity conflict, do drones have a decisive influence on the victory or defeat of a war?
Drones used in warfare fall between the spectrum, from small prowlers to large attack drones capable of firing missiles. Drones that mainly perform surveillance and reconnaissance functions belong to the medium-sized category.
Russia is a drone powerhouse with accumulated experience in developing drones and using them tactically on battlefields such as Syria and Ukraine.
Russia owns Drones such as Orlan-10, Elon-3, Zastava, Fourpost, Orion, and Zala. Ukraine has been interested in drones since the Crimean War in 2014.
Ukraine’s leading drone is the Bayraktar TB2 purchased from Turkey, and its A1-SM Fury and Rereka-100 are in use. Recently, it has been receiving support from the United States as a kind of prowler called the Switchblade.
Despite Ukraine’s upper hand, Russia is working hard to compensate for it. Even though the Russian government had previously shown reluctance to use drones, a modest number have been in operation since March 1. On the other side, from the commencement of the conflict, Ukraine has actively used drones.
Ukraine destroyed armored vehicles, surface-to-air missiles, and command posts. Moreover, in defense of drones, Ukraine is considered superior to Russia.
With the rapid development of drone technology, the importance of defense in drone warfare is increasing. This is because the attack can be neutralized if the defense ability is strengthened.
Russia mainly relies on electronic warfare systems to use jamming or spoofing techniques. Ukraine performs precision strikes with lasers or electromagnetic waves (EMP).
Russia has had difficulty accessing advanced technology due to the embargo since 2014, and Ukraine can adapt to NATO’s drone defense technology. Due to this external environment, Ukraine has stronger drone defense capabilities than Russia.
