Ukraine’s once-formidable advantage in drone warfare appears to be eroding along parts of the front line. This degradation extends far beyond the immediate front—more Russian drones now prowl for targets up to 25 kilometers (roughly 16 miles) behind the contact line, and they have been hitting their targets more effectively.

The Bulava unit is part of Ukraine’s Presidential Brigade, which also performs ceremonial guard duties in Kyiv but mostly became a regular combat brigade after the 2022 invasion. Ignatukha and his men saw the war changing and got into drone technology, using their own salaries to buy equipment and build their skills.

UKRAINE’S WAR has been a forcing house of military innovation. Among the more interesting is the use of “video-game incentives” to increase the armed forces’ efficiency in fighting the Russian invasion.