Similar Russian drones with artificial intelligence pose a new challenge for Ukraine, says Sergei Beskrestnov [Serhiy Beskrestnov]
“This technology is our future threat,” warns Sergei Beskrestnov, who has just gotten his hands on a recently intercepted Russian drone.
He discovered that it was no ordinary drone. With the help of artificial intelligence, this unmanned aerial vehicle can independently find and attack targets.
Beskrestnov, as a consultant to the Ukrainian Defense Forces, has studied many drones.
Unlike other models, it did not send or receive any signals, so it could not be jammed.
Russian and Ukrainian forces have tested artificial intelligence in this war, and in some areas they are already using it to find targets, gather intelligence and clear mines.
And for the Ukrainian army, AI has become indispensable.
“Our military receives more than 50 thousand video streams [from the front line] every month, which are analyzed by artificial intelligence,” says Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Yuriy Mironenko.
“This helps us quickly process this huge data, identify targets and place them on the map.”
The AI processes signals from the front lines in Ukraine, shown here behind Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Mironenko. [BBC/Matthew Goddard]
AI-powered technologies are seen as a tool that can improve strategic planning, make the most of resources and ultimately save lives.
But when it comes to unmanned weapon systems, they are also changing the battlefield.
Ukrainian troops already use artificial intelligence software that allows drones to lock onto a target and then fly autonomously the last few hundred meters until the mission is completed.
Jamming is impossible, and shooting down such a small flying object is not easy.
Ultimately, these systems are expected to evolve into fully autonomous weapons that can independently find and destroy targets.
All the soldier will have to do is press a button on a smartphone application, explains Yaroslav Azhnyuk, CEO of Ukrainian developer The Fourth Law.
The drone will do the rest: find the target, drop explosives, assess the damage and then return to base, he said.
“And it doesn’t even require the soldier to have piloting skills,” he adds.
Vadim's company DevDroid produces remote-controlled machine guns capable of tracking targets using AI [BBC]
Interceptor drones with such automation could significantly strengthen air defense against Russian long-range attack drones, such as the notorious Shaheds.
“A computer-controlled autonomous system can be better than a human in many ways,” Azhnyuk says. “He can be more insightful. It can see the target before a human can. It can be more maneuverable.”
Yuri Mironenko says that such a system does not yet exist, but believes that Ukraine is close to completing its development. “We have partially implemented this in some devices,” says the Deputy Minister of Defense.
By the end of 2026, there may even be thousands of such systems, says Azhnyuk.
But Ukrainian developers are wary of making full use of security systems that rely entirely on artificial intelligence, without human intervention. The risk is that the AI might not be able to tell a Ukrainian soldier from a Russian one because they might be wearing the same uniform, says Vadim, who declined to give his last name.
His company, DevDroid, makes remote-controlled machine guns that use artificial intelligence to automatically detect and track people. He says because of concerns about friendly fire, they don't have automatic fire capabilities.
“We can enable it, but we need to get more experience and more feedback from troops on the ground to understand when it is safe to use this feature.”
Interceptor drones with artificial intelligence can protect Ukraine from suicide bombers, Iranian-made drones used by Russia [Reuters]
There are also concerns that automated systems will violate the rules of war. How can they avoid harming civilians or distinguishing soldiers who want to surrender?
According to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the final decision in such circumstances should remain with a person, although AI would make the decision easier. But there is no guarantee that states or armed groups will comply with international humanitarian norms.
Therefore, countering these systems becomes even more important.
How to stop a “drone swarm” when interference or the use of aircraft, tanks or missiles becomes ineffective?
The highly successful Ukrainian Operation WebWhen 100 drones attacked Russian airbases last June, artificial intelligence tools likely helped.
Many in Ukraine fear that Moscow will copy these tactics not only on the front line, but also beyond.
Last month, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky warned the UN that AI was fueling “the most destructive arms race in human history.”
He called for global rules on the use of AI in weapons and said the issue was “as pressing as preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons.”
