Scooter soldiers and trench gamers: how drones have changed the war in Ukraine

BarcelonaDeath knows no uniforms, and there is a scene that is repeated on both sides of the Ukrainian trench: Killer drones hunt down enemy soldiers to death

Soldiers cope with death in different ways. Some freeze and simply await the final explosion. Others run relentlessly until they tire and are caught by the drone. Still others fight desperately, firing their Kalashnikovs at the remote-controlled device. Others beg for mercy from the soldiers controlling the drone from miles away. Others simply play dead and end up dead as well. All the drones carry a camera from which some uniformed personnel watch the deaths of other uniformed personnel live. Many videos are subsequently published on social mediaBoth sides celebrate the enemy's death. Both sides mourn their own.

Drones have changed the war in Ukraine.

"Now there is no longer a real, concrete line of contact. Now the battlefield is enormous, ambiguous, more stressful. Thousands of eyes watch every enemy movement; they attack you if they see you. Everything is more deadly," a Ukrainian commander explained to ARA a few days ago.

The commander knows what he's talking about: he has led a drone unit on the Donetsk front for years.The commander's message is echoed by countless soldiers from the Ukrainian and Russian armies.

For the first time since World War I, a weapons system other than artillery has become the leading cause of combat casualties in a conflict. For over a century, artillery had been the most common cause of death for soldiers: in both world wars, in Korea, in Vietnam, in the Balkans, in Iraq, in Syria. Ukraine has brought about a change that will shape present and future warfare. According to a recent report by the Army Technology website, based on calculations by the consultancy Global Data, drones are believed to be responsible. between 70% and 80% of the daily casualties that occur on the Ukrainian frontsThis figure aligns with a recent leak from the Kremlin's Ministry of Defense, which claims that up to 75% of Russian casualties in recent months have been caused by these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). 20% are attributed to artillery fire, and only 4% to small arms fire.

The battlefield landscape has also changed. The refinement of drone use has made it possible to monitor every millimeter of the front and, therefore, attack with precision. This has not only increased the lethality of the warbut has forced both armies to change their military strategies.

Russians and Ukrainians have had to adopt much more dispersed, mobile tactics, fragmenting operations on a very small scale. Large concentrations of soldiers are suicide missions: drones detect them easily. The new norm is micro-infiltration: small groups, rapid movements, targeted actions. They often advance at night, with electronic cover, in a zigzag pattern, taking advantage of GPS signal saturation to avoid detection.

Key elements from past wars are once again gaining immense strategic value as protection against continuous aerial surveillance: forests, deep trenches, tunnels, and improvised cover. But other key elements from past wars are no longer a good idea: tanks, armored vehicles, pickup trucks… Both armies have introduced the use of motorcycles, electric scooters, and even horses.They are more difficult to target and, if the enemy drone manages to shoot them down, the number of casualties is much lower.

A frozen front

The Ukrainian front, with a line of contact of 1,200 kilometers, It has been stagnant for months, practically frozen. The few advances that have been made are Russian, who have superior manpower and resources. Drones are proving crucial in this stalemate because they are allowing, especially the Ukrainians, to maintain their defensive lines. At the beginning of the invasion, Ukraine was producing around 5,000 drones annually; currently, it produces between 2 and 4 million each year. They are very affordable and can be manufactured quickly.

Another Ukrainian commander who leads a drone unit in DonbasHe agrees to speak with the ARA, also on condition of anonymity. The conversation, via WhatsApp, provides a snapshot of the situation on the battlefield.

–What impact have drones had on the war?

–A lethal zone of between 10 and 30 kilometers has been created where any movement is immediately destroyed, both on our side and theirs. In the end, we can only infiltrate small groups of one or two people. The Russians, for example, sent a group of ten men the other day; only one or two managed to advance.

–So, it's very difficult to launch offensives against the enemy, right?

–I'd say it's almost suicidal. For some time now, in fact, the advances of both armies have been minimal; they don't even have tactical value. Drones have brought the war to a standstill., as in the First World War.

–The figures say that the war is now more deadly.

–Yes, it's hell. And those of us who survived have noticed a significant increase in exhaustion, fatigue, and the feeling of never knowing when an enemy drone might be watching you.

–What advice would you give to European armies that want to modernize in the face of the risk of war?

–That war and its rules have changed. That a conventional drone worth one hundred dollars can destroy a tank worth millions of dollars in a few seconds. Computers capable of jamming enemy drone signals are just as important, if not more so, than tanks. And, generally, I would tell them to look at how we are doing it.

David Kirichenko, an expert in autonomous systems, cyber warfare, and military strategy, highlights the technological innovation that the Kyiv army is being forced to undergo. "Drones have been a poor man's solution," he says, arguing that it was the only way out they found themselves facing a new challenge. the growing shortage of artillery and other conventional weapons supplies"If this war is to last another ten years, Ukraine's vision is to continue building a technological shield on the front line." He adds that the goal is "to create the first robot army." He gives an example: "Behind the trenches, there would be roads or systems of other trenches so that robots could enter and exit. A robot could drive to the front line between these trenches and deliver supplies. Or it could emerge from the trenches with a turret, firing at the enemy."

Among specialists, the prevailing message is that, in the future, the use of technology, including robots, will be even more essential in all warfare. "Much of warfare will be automated," asserts Rafael Loss, an expert in military technology and security at the European Council on Foreign Relations. But experts also warn that robots cannot replace humans, and that a combination of both will be necessary. "No matter how many robots you have on the ground, you'll need a human to go and retrieve them and repair them if they're hit or if they break down," Kirichenko explains. Loss agrees: "In any case, soldiers with rifles will be needed to hold the position."

The two analysts also believe that drones—and indeed any other technology currently in operation—are not and will not be substitutes for artillery or other conventional weapons of war, but only a complement. At this point, in practical terms, the impact of an artillery or missile strike on the enemy is far greater than that of a drone. Kirichenko also warns that increasing reliance on technology also creates vulnerabilities. "If you can disrupt the opponent's internet connection and disable their electronics, you can temporarily blind them."

The message of change has resonated in European politics, which is prepared to increase defense spending in response to this new reality. But in September, on a trip of the ARA to StrasbourgProminent voices from the European Commission and the European Parliament acknowledged two realities. First, that European militaries need a radical and explicit modernization process to adapt to new forms of warfare. "With what we have, we wouldn't last a week in a war against Russia," a source said during a dinner. Second, that Ukraine is now a first-rate military power and that joining the EU would be a highly strategic step for the bloc, which aspires to emancipate itself from military dependence on Washington. Given the growing importance of drones in the arms race, investment in this technology is palpable globally. The global market for military drones was valued at around $15 billion last year—with the United States leading the way—and is projected to exceed $30 billion by 2030, according to several specialized reports. Countries like China, Israel, Iran, and India are redoubling their efforts to also become leaders.

The fact that drones are a relatively simple type of weapon to manufacture democratizes warfare. "It's a force multiplier not only for professional armies, but for any other terrorist organization or insurgency," says Rafael Loss. The war in Sudan is a clear example: the paramilitaries of Rapid Support Forces have substantially increased their use of drones, redefined the evolution of the conflict.

Death on TikTok

In January 2024, The ARA visited a Ukrainian bunker located about three kilometers from the Avdiivka front in DonetskA tunnel led you deep underground, and the scene inside was curious: young Ukrainians sitting in front of large computer screens. They looked like gamers; They were soldiers. To label them as gamers It's no exaggeration: among the troops, it's valued that men assigned to drone units are skilled at using video game consoles, because the work they'll do in the war has similarities to video games. From those screens, they operated the drones, which monitored, detected, and eliminated Russian presence. At that moment, they were "clearing" an area of the front so that the Ukrainian infantry could advance. The images were being transmitted live. Russians and Ukrainians have hundreds or thousands of bunkers like this one.

There are many types of drones, of different shapes, capabilities, and sizes: some are conventional, like those you can buy in electronics stores in Barcelona; others are enormous devices that, at first glance, can be mistaken for a warplane.

But those who are most successful among the troops are the FPV: First person viewThese are first-person view drones. These devices, which can be piloted from kilometers away, transmit live images captured by their cameras. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, videos have surfaced showing drones relentlessly pursuing enemy soldiers to their deaths. They end up posted online, especially on TikTok, Telegram, or X.Soldiers on both sides share them as a source of pride. They usually add background music—hard rock or electronic tunes. They have permission from their armies to distribute them: it's believed that troop morale improves, fear of the enemy increases, and they often serve as a way to raise funds through account numbers attached to the side of the video.

Ukrainian soldier Taras, mobilized on the Donetsk front, He sends dozens of videos of his drones via WhatsApp. He often posts them on his Instagram account as well. The videos show attacks on buildings where Russian soldiers are allegedly stationed. They show direct attacks on Moscow armored vehicles. He sees the war from a privileged position.

–Why do you share these videos on Instagram?

–For two reasons. The first is that this way the Ukrainian population sees the effectiveness of the drones and continues sending us money to buy new ones and improve them. The second is that it's a way to intimidate our enemies, who have come to occupy our lands and kill our people. When they see the videos, they know that death awaits them.

–How do you feel when you see your drone kill an enemy soldier?

–The death of the invaders is a cause for joy for us, because it means we have stopped an enemy that was heading towards our positions.

–Do you think that the fact that there is a screen in between might make you unaware of what death entails?

–We are fully aware of what death is. We suffer it at all times. Every day we risk our lives: the enemy hunts us just as we hunt them. There is constantly something exploding in the sky or something flying above our heads.

–Where are you now?

–I cannot say. In a city that once had life and now only has death.