- Category
- Latest news
Ukraine’s Combat Drone Effectiveness Jumps From 4% to 33% in Modern Battlefield Shift
- Authors
![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukraine is continuing to expand and refine its unmanned systems forces as a distinct branch of the military, with every confirmed strike undergoing mandatory verification, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said in remarks to the media on February 6.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
According to Syrskyi, the development of drone capabilities has accelerated significantly since the dedicated Unmanned Systems grouping was established in the summer of 2025.
Over that period, the share of effective fire damage and enemy destruction attributed to these systems has surged from just 4% to 33%.
Drones now account for roughly 60% of all firepower used along the front line, while traditional artillery contributes about 40%, he said—highlighting a profound shift in how modern combat is being fought in Ukraine.
At the same time, the depth of battlefield formations continues to expand. Syrskyi noted that advances in drone warfare are stretching combat zones not across the front, but deeper into contested territory, with so-called “kill zones” already reaching distances of 15 to 20 kilometers.
“Of course this is a challenge for us, but at the same time it stimulates the development of our unmanned component,” he said.
Earlier, Ukrainian drone operators from the Signum Battalion of the 53rd Mechanized Brigade reported the destruction of a Russian self-propelled artillery system and successful strikes against a multiple-launch rocket system and a tank during fighting on the Lyman axis.
-7f54d6f9a1e9b10de9b3e7ee663a18d9.png)
