At the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, drones became an unexpected source of victories against the forces of Moscow. Success stories dominated the news cycle. There have been many videos on social media of Ukrainian drones taking down a chaotic Russian offensive..

The Ukrainian fleet of such vehicles, consisting of both small drones for reconnaissance and the famous Turkish TB2 Bayraktar systems, was praised for destroying Vladimir Putin's tanks and armored vehicles.. But Russia has learned from its humiliating five-month war defeats..

Experts told the publication that drones are increasingly becoming ineffective in Ukrainian defense because Russia has improved its defense systems and also deployed tools to block and land Ukrainian vehicles..

“Now Russian electronic warfare and air defense systems are better organized than they were in the first months of the war,” said CNA analyst and expert on unmanned and robotic military systems Samuel Bendett..

Russian army uses early warning radar to identify drones. And electronic warfare systems allow you to block them and cut off contact with them, the expert explained. The Russian military also uses machine guns and air defense systems such as Tor to shoot down Ukrainian vehicles.. Recently, the Russian Ministry of Defense published a video in which the Russian Krasukha-4 system disables a Ukrainian drone..

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Mark Kantsyan, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, explained that Ukraine used unmanned vehicles very effectively before, because Russia did not properly organize its defense systems..

“The drones were able to play such a big role because the Russians were too slow to deploy air defense systems.. They also set up combined arms operations very slowly, as required by their military doctrine,” Kangqiang said..

In the Donbas, Russia's ground-based air defense is better located and organized. Therefore, Ukrainian forces are now limiting the use of drones, because the enemy has begun to fight them more effectively.. And losing technology can be expensive.. If one Switchblade or Phoenix Ghost drone costs several thousand dollars, then the loss of Bayraktar is a loss of 1-2 million. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has received about 50 such drones from a Turkish manufacturer.. At the beginning of the war, Bayraktars were extremely effective.. But now Russia began to shoot them down. So the Ukrainian army is reducing their use.

There have been reports in the media that the United States may sell to Ukraine American attack drones MQ-1C Gray Eagle, the capabilities of which are much better than those of Bayraktar.. But two Ukrainian Air Force pilots told War Zone they weren't too supportive of such deliveries.. Because the cost of such American systems is 10 million dollars apiece.. But at the same time, there is a big risk that the Gray Eagle will be shot down during the very first mission..

Kantsian explained that Russia's air defense consists almost entirely of short and medium-range missile systems.. And drones are especially vulnerable because they fly low and slow.. So the Ukrainian military is now asking Western allies to hand over more modern fighter jets..

However, at a time when Ukrainian drones are losing effectiveness amid a new phase of the war, Russia has begun to use such weapons more often, especially for reconnaissance and surveillance, says Bendett.. The defenders of Ukraine do not have enough weapons to shoot them down.

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“We don’t see Russian drones, but they see us. The only thing we can do is hide,” an unnamed Ukrainian soldier told the Sunday Times..

Bendett said that in the next few weeks, the Russian army will try to better organize and continue its offensive..

“She is trying to create traps for Ukrainian forces in the so-called pockets around cities. Also, the Russians are trying to break through and grind the Ukrainian defense as a whole.. Drones play a key role in collecting intelligence and surveillance data so that the Russians can strike from the ground and air. So we will see more Russian drones, provided that the war continues as it has been until now,” Bendett said..