A drone operator of 3rd Assault Brigade is seen working at positions near the frontline in the direction of Borova, rural settlement in Izium Raion, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine.

Chips on their shouldersPhotograph: Getty Images

Mar 12th 2025|5 min read

IT HAS become a cliché to note that the war in Ukraine is a drone war. But two recent studies shed light on what that means in practice. In mid-February the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a think-tank in London, published the latest in a series of papers taking stock of tactical developments in Ukraine over the preceding year. On March 6th the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released another paper looking at Ukraine’s capacity and plans for war specifically involving artificial-intelligence (AI) tools. Together they paint a picture of a battlefield that is increasingly saturated with and dominated by the presence of uncrewed machines.

Baby bottle with measurement markings and a smiling pink nipple on a blue background.

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