War of 2026 will be war of drones and counter-drone warfare – Butusov
Drone Industry
2026 will be the year of drone warfare and counter-drone warfare. This will determine effectiveness on the battlefield.
This was stated on air by Yurii Butusov, commander of the unmanned systems platoon of the Khartiia Brigade, Censor.NET reports.
What is known?
According to him, the military is using drones both to defend themselves and to conduct counterattacks, while for the occupiers, drones have also become the main means of breaking through the front.
"The war of 2026 will be a war of drones and a war of countering drones. Two key factors will determine effectiveness on the battlefield.
And the third factor is the human factor. Which side can train enough people, ensure their rotation, and provide for their effective combat use in the grey zone, which is effectively turning into a kill zone," he explained.
The main challenge in the war will be which side gains the upper hand and is able to put a better battlefield strategy into practice in drone warfare, Butusov noted.
"What is important to note is that drone development is progressing systematically across all environments. The number of ground drones must increase, and radically so, while the number of aerial drones of all types and naval drones must also increase.
Thus, the focus is not being placed on achieving an advantage in just a few specific UAV types," he added.
