World · Europe · 13 hrs ago
AI systems and drones are changing how Russia-Ukraine war is fought
The war between Russia and Ukraine is increasingly being fought with digital systems and drones.
Ukraine’s Delta platform combines drone footage, satellite and radar data, and reports from troops on one map.
It can use image analysis to spot and prioritize targets, helping commanders identify them in seconds rather than minutes.
The system supports human decisions; most battlefield systems described are not fully autonomous and remain under human supervision.
Both countries also use drones with image-recognition features, which can help them track targets or navigate when GPS or communication signals are disrupted.
The growth of these systems shows how electronic jamming has pushed both sides toward drones that rely more on cameras and preloaded maps.
AI systems and drones are changing how the Russia-Ukraine war is fought.
Ukraine’s Delta platform combines battlefield and other data on a digital map and uses algorithms to help identify and prioritize targets.
AI-supported systems have reduced target identification time from minutes to seconds, according to the article.
Drones have developed capabilities including image recognition, automatic tracking and navigation that can work without GPS.
The article says most battlefield AI systems remain semi-autonomous and operate under human supervision.
- Who
- Ukrainian and Russian forces are using AI-enabled systems and drones.
- What
- AI and drones are changing battlefield surveillance, target identification and navigation.
- When
- During the Russia-Ukraine war; the article also cites an operation in 2025.
- Where
- Ukraine and Russia. The article also refers to attacks on Russian strategic air bases.
- Why
- Electronic jamming and disruption spurred the development of AI technologies, including navigation using image recognition instead of GPS.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Artificial intelligence is positioned here not as the "decision-maker" but as a decision-support element.
What is particularly noteworthy here is the shift in warfare toward “cheap but smart” systems.
Russian GPS jamming and signal and communication disruption affected Ukrainian drones.
Drones developed from remote-controlled platforms into AI-supported systems with capabilities such as image recognition and automatic tracking.
Operation Spider Web was described as an example of using these technologies in practice.
- Delta
- Ukrainian AI-powered battle management platform
- Target identification
- Reduced from minutes to seconds, according to the article
- Operation Spider Web
- Carried out in 2025
- Russian systems
- Lancet loitering munition and V2U systems are described as using image recognition to home in on targets
Sources
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