Forbes: Drones give Ukraine first tank advantage in war with Russia

Ukraine has gained its first tank advantage over Russia in specific areas of the front line, Forbes war correspondent David Axe reports. The shift comes after 35 months of full-scale war, driven by Ukraine’s successful use of drones.

This development signals a significant change in battlefield dynamics, where innovative drone tactics neutralize Russia’s traditional armor superiority. It shows how relatively cheap unmanned aircraft are reshaping modern warfare, allowing the defending force to challenge a numerically stronger opponent.

“The enemy has achieved sufficient scale and variety in its drones and has honed its tactics for their use,” a Russian military blogger wrote in a post translated by Estonian analyst WarTranslated.

Russian tanks now operate only “from covered positions” miles behind the front line, effectively turning them into makeshift artillery.

Ukrainian tanks, meanwhile, can move freely near the front line due to better drone coverage and electronic warfare capabilities. Russian drone operations suffer from poor quality control and Ukrainian jamming, giving Ukrainian forces more room to maneuver.

The exception is in Kursk Oblast, where Russia uses advanced fiber-optic drones that can’t be jammed by traditional means. These drones helped stop a Ukrainian attack on 5 January, damaging several Western-made tanks, including American M-1 Abrams and German Leopard 2s.

This marks a major change from 2022 when Ukrainian tanks rarely engaged in direct combat due to Russia’s superior artillery and air power. While Russia still has plenty of anti-tank missiles, David Axe believes Ukraine’s main limitation now is a lack of infantry rather than tank capability.

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