Ukraine has escalated its use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) in a devastating attack on four Russian air bases, one located deep inside Siberia. The operation, code-named “Spiderweb,” has brought drone warfare to the forefront of modern conflict.
According to estimates by Ukraine’s security service, SBU, the attacks cost Russia around $7 billion. However, Russia has not publicly commented on the extent of the damage caused by the drones.
Experts warn that both sides in the war are increasingly relying on cheap, commercially available drones that can be easily converted into deadly weapons. Robert Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute think tank, stated that “the use of drones is going to become very common” and that they pose a significant threat.
The attacks have highlighted the dangers of drone warfare, particularly in targeting civilians. Anastasia Pavlenko, 23, was hit by two drones while riding her bike in Ukraine’s Kherson region. The attack left her with shrapnel fragments in her neck, ribs, and leg, which doctors were unable to remove.
Human Rights Watch has documented at least 45 Russian attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine since June. The organization believes that commercial quadcopter drones, manufactured by Chinese companies DJI and Autel Robotics, have been used extensively in these attacks.
The availability of cheap drones is changing the nature of warfare, making it easier for forces to carry out strikes. Experts express concerns that criminal organizations could also exploit this technology for nefarious purposes.
As AI technology advances, experts predict that drone operations will become even more sophisticated, with one pilot potentially operating multiple UAVs at once. However, this raises fears that other groups could copy the methods used by Russia and Ukraine to create cheap and easy-to-use drones, leading to similar attacks.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/world/russia/russia-ukraine-war-drone-strikes-bases-uavs-civilian-attacks-rcna210559