Ukraine shifts focus to drones as Western tanks remain inactive

Expensive Western tanks, valued at over $10 million each, are currently sitting inactive and hidden in forests in Ukraine. According to reports, the Ukrainian military has shifted its focus toward the use of inexpensive drones, leaving much of its heavy armored equipment unused.

Following the arrival of Western tanks in early 2023, the battlefield environment changed due to the widespread use of cheap unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of striking vulnerable points on armored vehicles. In response, Russian forces began utilizing anti-drone cages and mesh to protect their own tanks.

Alexander Syrskyi, the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, noted the challenge of neutralizing the advantage held by drones to revitalize the use of armored vehicles. Currently, many of these tanks are being used primarily for soldier training and periodic target practice rather than active combat assaults.