Ukraine's spy chief insists drones cannot substitute soldiers on ground, only support them

Drones will never replace ground troops, they are just a way to support them and inflict casualties on the enemy. However, nothing will change until "a soldier comes and plants a flag," said the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, in an interview with the Canadian TV channel CBC News.

The outlet notes that Budanov is "credited" with increasing the capabilities of Ukrainian drones, according to reports,  and the organization of more than 100 drone strikes on the territory of the Russian Federation and on the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.

However, the spymaster acknowledged the problem: "Drones will never replace ground troops. It is only a way to support them."

"With the help of a drone you can inflict losses on the enemy. But until, like in medieval times, a soldier comes and plants a flag, nothing will change," he explained.

The head of military intelligence said that the Russians would be "very happy" to freeze the war in the current situation, so that Ukraine would recognize the occupied territories as Russian, but this will never happen.

Budanov expressed the opinion that the 21st century creates new challenges both at the front and in the rear. Whoever will be the first to understand and address them will win the Russo-Ukrainian war.

The spy chief declared that if Russia does not completely collapse from within, it will threaten Ukraine with war "regularly".