Drones, interceptors, ground robots: How the Ukrainian army defends itself against the Russian army

Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs: “Our position on the battlefield is stronger than ever.” This statement, given in an interview with several media outlets on Wednesday, April 22, holds significant weight. For the first time since September 2023, the Russian army made almost no territorial gains in Ukraine during the month of March, according to data from the American Institute for the Study of War analyzed by AFP. This was attributed to minimizing the Russian advantage in personnel through the use of drones, as explained by the Ukrainian foreign minister.

Andriy Sybiga stated that Ukrainian forces are able to “close the sky” with their air defense and can shoot down up to 90% of Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian cities. The opening of private companies (energy companies, logistics groups, or security firms) to equip themselves with interceptors and heavy machine guns is also providing relief to the army.

Russian troops have lost access to the Internet: While Russian forces no longer advance territorially, they are even retreating in some areas. At the beginning of April, Kiev claimed the capture of 480 square kilometers since the end of January, liberating twelve municipalities in the regions of Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia. Furthermore, ground robots equipped with explosives or remote-activated cannons are now at the core of Ukrainian military strategy. These robots are deployed for logistical and evacuation missions for the injured, according to the Ministry of Defense.

The Russian army is facing a decrease in recruitment rates and is being decimated by the tactics of the Ukrainian military command. Every month, between 30,000 and 35,000 Russian soldiers are killed, according to Volodymyr Zelensky. Bloomberg reports that communication problems are hindering potential advancements of the Russian army. Troops have been cut off from access to Telegram and Starlink terminals that provided Internet access, which was described as “a catastrophe” for Moscow by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.