At the beginning of a full-scale invasion in 2022 drones in combat played an auxiliary role. The loudest example of those times is the Turkish Bayraktar TB2, which worked on columns and large targets and became a symbol of the first successes of the Armed Forces. To directly defeat the enemy, homemade discharge systems with recycled VOG, grenades, or even homemade explosive and ignition devices were used.
In 2023, the situation began to change:The mass production and improvement of strike FPV drones, particularly at the unit level, has made them one of the main tools of destruction. FPVs began to be used not only as drones to drop a warhead, but also for precision strikes in “kamikaze” mode in difficult conditions where artillery was less effective or too noticeable. At the same time, the means of combating drones were also developed — mainly radio-electronic warfare complexes (REB). The advantage in this area constantly fluctuated: from the silencing of the main frequencies to the introduction of new radio bands for which the counteraction was not yet ready. However, against the background of a decrease in stocks of artillery ammunition, the percentage of drone strikes increased steadily.
Masova the appearance of FPV drones on the front in 2025 with fiber optic communication channel accelerated the already rapid growth of impact efficiency. Thanks to the “optics”, these drones became practically invulnerable to the REB, which led to the forced removal of heavy equipment to a relatively safe distance of about 20 km. However, even today such a distance is not a guarantee of protection. So far, neither side has effective means of countering these systems, and their dominance on the battlefield is only growing.
Current Challenges
According to observations of one of the medical front posts in a complex area, the most injuries are now caused by FPV drones - and more than half of them are attacks on vehicles on the roads.
These data were published by the military with the callsign “Flash” in his Telegram channels.
Attacks occur evenly throughout the day, but the peak is fixed in the morning. This makes clear the priority of technological countermeasures - the protection of logistics routes from drones.
Prospects for development and possible countermeasures
1. Massive use of mobile and stationary systems for the destruction or capture of drones, autonomous micro-air defense systems.
2. Often change logistics routes, observe masking, equip protected areas.
3. Increase the production of their own FPV drones, and accordingly increase the number of their own operators working to destroy the enemy.
