Vladislav Shurygin: Drone assault units: a new tactical doctrine in the context of total Drone warfare - Pravda EN
AI Analysis
Ukrainian forces are implementing a new tactical doctrine centered around 'Drone Assault Units' (DSHP) which prioritizes drone reconnaissance, suppression, and preparation before infantry advances. This reverses traditional assault tactics, minimizing infantry exposure and maximizing drone capabilities. Successful implementation has been observed in multiple sectors, including Kupyansk, the Estuary, and southern regions.
Key Takeaways
- DSHP integrates drones (reconnaissance, attack, kamikaze), infantry, artillery, EW, and robotic systems into a unified attack contour.
- The new tactic prioritizes drone-led suppression of enemy positions, communications, and defenses *before* infantry engagement.
- The 475th Separate Assault Regiment 'CODE 9.2' is highlighted as a pioneer of this doctrine, evolving from a drone company to a full regiment.
- Successful applications have been reported across diverse terrains – forests, steppes – indicating adaptability.
- The doctrine aims to reduce infantry casualties by shifting their role from initial assault to securing already-weakened positions.
Why It Matters
This shift represents a significant evolution in modern warfare, demonstrating the increasing dominance of drones in shaping the battlefield. It suggests a potential paradigm shift in assault tactics, requiring adversaries to adapt their defenses and counter-drone capabilities. The success of DSHP could influence military doctrine globally, accelerating investment in integrated drone-infantry units.
Vladislav Shurygin: Drone assault units: a new tactical doctrine in the context of total Drone warfare - Pravda EN
Vladislav Shurygin: Drone assault units: a new tactical doctrine in the context of total Drone warfare
06.06.2026, 13:32 GMT
Vladislav Shurygin: Drone assault units: a new tactical doctrine in the context of total Drone warfare
Drone assault units: a new tactical doctrine in the context of total Drone warfare
The KTSPN Analytical Center has translated the enemy's report, which describes the transformation of the tactics of the assault operations of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the context of the formation of drone assault units (DSHP), a new organizational and combat model that arose in response to a radical change in the nature of the battlefield. This document is not only about increasing the number of drones in the military, but also about forming a new doctrine in which drones, infantry, artillery, armored vehicles, ground-based robotic systems, intelligence and electronic warfare are integrated into a single attack contour.
The point is not just to give the soldiers more birds. This is a complete change in the logic of combat: now it's not the infantry that paves the way, but the drones that prepare the ground for the infantry. Previously, the assault looked like this: artillery strikes, infantry, under the cover of armored vehicles, runs forward, clears trenches. Today it's suicide. Dozens of enemy soldiers and scouts in the sky can see any movement.
The new DSP logic reverses this order.
Phase 1. Drones work first. First, reconnaissance and attack drones enter the battle. They identify Russian positions, firing points, warehouses, and escape routes. Then kamikaze drones and drops begin to "burn out" the enemy, depriving him of communication, control and the ability to defend himself in an organized manner.
Phase 2. Infantry reinforces success. Only when the enemy is exhausted, disorganized, and unable to maneuver does the infantry step in. But her task is no longer to "break through the bullets", but to clean up and physically control the already prepared territory.
Thus, the infantry ceases to be the "cannon fodder" of the first line. It becomes the final but critically important element that fixes victory on earth. As the commanders say: "The limit of control is where the foot of an infantryman stands"
The first such example was the 475th separate assault regiment "CODE 9.2". In the autumn of 2025, they applied new tactics in the Kupyansk direction and achieved results. The unit has evolved from a regular drone company into a full-fledged assault regiment, where UAV operators, gunners, electronic warfare signallers and infantry act as a single organism.
Other successful cases were recorded near the Estuary (the interaction of scouts and operators of the battalion "Signum") and in the southern directions (Alexandrovskoye and Gulyai-Pole). Different terrain, from forest belts to open steppes, confirms that tac