Ukraine’s drone revolution batters Russia while Israel lags behind
AI Analysis
Ukraine has rapidly evolved into a “drone superpower,” successfully employing domestically produced, low-cost drones – including FPV and long-range strike models – to inflict significant damage on Russian infrastructure deep within Russia. This success is contrasted with Israel's perceived lag in adapting to similar drone warfare tactics, particularly concerning the threat posed by Hezbollah. Ukraine's experience is driving demand for its battle-tested drone technology from other nations.
Key Takeaways
- Ukraine has conducted 88 drone strikes on Russian energy targets in 2025 alone, a significant increase from 4 in 2023 and 34 in 2024.
- Ukrainian drones have reached targets over 1,500km inside Russia, demonstrating extended range capabilities.
- Ukrainian drones are relatively inexpensive (tens of thousands of dollars per unit) compared to traditional cruise missiles.
- Ukraine's drone capabilities began with volunteer efforts modifying commercial drones and have evolved into a sophisticated domestic industry.
- Ukraine is securing defense contracts with European and Gulf nations seeking effective counter-drone and drone warfare solutions.
Why It Matters
Ukraine's success demonstrates the disruptive potential of low-cost drone technology in modern warfare, challenging traditional air defense strategies and potentially lowering the barrier to entry for asymmetric warfare. The article highlights a critical need for nations like Israel to accelerate their adaptation to drone warfare tactics and invest in effective counter-UAS technologies. The growing international demand for Ukrainian drone technology signals a potential shift in the global arms market.
Ukraine’s drone revolution batters Russia while Israel lags behind
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Ukraine’s drone revolution batters Russia while Israel lags behind
Cheap FPV drones, AI-guided weapons and long-range strikes have turned Ukraine into a global drone powerhouse, threatening Russian infrastructure, reshaping the front line and offering Israel urgent lessons against Hezbollah
Yair Navot|
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On a quiet Russian summer night last August, an irritating buzz suddenly broke the silence over the Lukoil oil refinery in Ukhta, in Russia’s northern Komi Republic, about 1,750 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
Technicians at the site were initially startled by the sound, which resembled the sputtering engine of a scooter. Within seconds, they understood what it meant. Large explosions shook the refinery, a major fire broke out and a thick mushroom of black smoke rose high into the sky.
With 'Moscow calling' written on the drone: Ukrainian frontline launch footage
(Video: Reuters)
It was not an American or British cruise missile costing millions of dollars. It was a Ukrainian-made suicide drone, developed domestically at a cost of no more than tens of thousands of dollars per unit. The drones penetrated Russian air defenses and caused significant damage to the facility. Ukrainian military intelligence later confirmed the strike, which signaled a dramatic improvement in Kyiv’s ability to hit targets deep inside Russia.
The same refinery was struck again in February, suffering heavy damage once more.
The year 2025 has become a record year for Ukrainian attacks on energy targets inside Russia. According to data from the Botak monitoring site, Ukraine carried out at least 88 such strikes this year, compared with just four in 2023 and 34 in 2024. Ukrainian drones have repeatedly hit Russian energy infrastructure far from the border, including in Perm, near the Ural Mountains, about 1,500 kilometers from Ukraine, and across southwestern Russia, hundreds of kilometers from the front.
The trend is intensifying, and Moscow is struggling to find effective answers.
What began in 2022 as an almost desperate effort by Ukrainian volunteers to attach explosives to commercial Chinese camera drones, alongside the difficult use of Turkish drones, has become the greatest military revolution of the 21st century. Ukraine, a country fighting for survival against one of the world’s largest military powers, has become a global drone superpower.
It is rewriting the doctrine of modern warfare. The vast military experience it has accumulated is also allowing Kyiv to strengthen its defense industry through major deals in Europe and the Gulf, with governments seeking cheap, fast and battle-tested solutions to the Iranian threat, as seen in the recent war involving Iran, Israel and the United States.
Ukraine’s drone capabilities