How Ukraine won the first great robot war
In the spring and summer of 2026, the story about Russia's war in Ukraine changed. The defenders are combining air and ground drones, autonomy, and swarming to re-capture territory with robots while risking fewer humans—increasing casualties for Russia while decreasing them for their own forces. Some four and a half years after confidently launching his invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin has dwindling military options.
In this short documentary, analysts, entrepreneurs, European experts, and NATO military officials describe how Ukraine defied expectations and changed the future direction of military technology—and of war itself.
Ukraine is employing a combination of air and ground drones to recapture territory, significantly reducing human casualties while increasing losses for Russian forces. This strategy marks a pivotal shift in military technology and operations during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as described by various analysts and NATO military officials in the spring and summer of 2026.
- Ukraine is combining air and ground drones to recapture territory.
- The use of drones is reducing human casualties for Ukraine.
- Russia is experiencing increased casualties due to Ukraine's tactics.
- The report includes insights from analysts and NATO officials.