I Flew Drones on Ukraine's Fiercest Battlefield, and Saw Their Limits
Business Insider••world
Key Points:
- Sgt. Dimko Zhluktenko, a former software engineer, now leads a Ukrainian drone team providing critical reconnaissance near Pokrovsk, a city fiercely contested by Russian forces in 2025.
- Thick autumn fog severely limits drone operations by blocking infrared and thermal imaging, allowing Russian troops to advance with less detection and causing strategic challenges for Ukrainian defenders.
- Ukraine relies heavily on drones for intelligence and targeting, but limited drone numbers and adverse weather conditions hinder continuous surveillance and defense efforts against increasingly large Russian assaults.
- Russian tactics involve gradually increasing troop numbers to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses, exploiting Ukraine’s limited drone and artillery resources, which are insufficient to counter sustained attacks.
- Despite drones accounting for most kills, Ukraine urgently needs more artillery ammunition, additional troops
