Ex-US Army General says innovation shaping course of war as UAVs emerging as pivotal tool

The course of events on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war can be changed by innovations, in particular, drones, former Commander-in-chief of the United States European Command General Wesley Clark said in an interview with LIGA.net.

"Competition of innovations. At the beginning of the full-scale war, everyone was impressed by Ukraine's ability to effectively use drones and carry out strikes with Bayraktars. Later, the widespread use of FPV drones made a big impression," he said.

Clark noted that each war has its own character and technology.

For example, in the Vietnam War, the helicopter became an innovation, during the Persian Gulf War in 1991, the global positioning system was new, in 2003, when the United States invaded Iraq, the speed of logistical support and the ability to move quickly under fire became a novelty.

"In this war, the key innovation is the use of drones. They are the defining feature of this war," stated the American general.

However, Clark added, the Russians are "not stupid," they are learning, and they have their own drones.

"Today, there is a constant pursuit of modernization in military tactics. Russia and Ukraine are competing to see who can quickly introduce the most revolutionary technology on the battlefield," he said.

Asked who should win in this "drone war", Clark said: "Ukraine has to win. It's a matter of survival."

On February 25, the Minister of Strategic Industries Alexander Kamyshin said that 2024 will be the year of active use of ground drones.

The Minister of Digital Transformation, Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced on the same day that Ukraine will achieve the goal of producing one million drones per year in 2024. According to him, there will be even more FPV drones.

As of 2024, Ukraine has matched Russia in the production of kamikaze drones, similar to Iran's Shahed-131 and Shahed-136, Kamyshin said on Monday.