Drones cannot fully compensate for shortage of ammunition at the front

The effective use of drones by the Ukrainian military on the battlefield cannot fully compensate for the shortage of critical ammunition throughout the entire theater of operations.

This was reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Experts refer to an interview with President Volodymyr Zelensky to the German publication Bild, in which he stated that Ukraine successfully produces drones, but they cannot replace air defense systems, long-range missile systems, and artillery.

The report also notes that despite a lack of ammunition, Ukrainian forces have been able to partially repel the increasing pace of Russian mechanized attacks in recent weeks.

Ukraine's ability to repel mechanized attacks with drones is a partial mitigation, but the continued lack of artillery deprives Ukrainian troops of the ability to destroy armored vehicles quickly and in large numbers.

"ISW continues to assess that delays in Western military assistance have forced the Ukrainian military to husband materiel and that Ukrainian forces must make difficult decisions prioritizing certain aspects of its defense at the cost of lives and lost territory as well as at the expense of contesting the initiative to constrain Russian military capabilities or planning for future counteroffensive operations," the Institute report says.

Author – Anastasiya Glotova, 11/04/2024