Opinion: Drones are changing wars, but not as we thought

As the war in Ukraine drags into its third year, are drones providing the battlefield edge that national security pundits had originally predicted?

In 2022, screens around the world beamed images of Ukrainian citizens preparing for the imminent invasion of Kyiv. Videos showed young and old alike making preparations to protect their home and cities: filling Molotov cocktails, welding steel to create anti-tank barricades, and lining up to arm themselves with firearms courtesy of the Ukrainian government.

They were acts of defiance that secured Ukraine’s place in history. The bravery has undoubtedly inspired many across the globe, especially with the horror of Grozny and other Russian atrocities in such recent memory.