Russia expands air-ground drone warfare to block Ukrainian troop rotations

MOSCOW (Shahid Ghumman) – Russian unmanned systems have carried out coordinated air and ground operations across multiple fronts, inflicting losses on Ukrainian forces while ensuring uninterrupted delivery of weapons and food to forward positions, military sources said.

According to the sources, FPV drones operated by Russia’s Western grouping engaged Ukrainian forces in the Kupiansk sector of the Kharkiv region, destroying a heavy R-18 combat quadcopter during an aerial collision. The same strikes also targeted Ukrainian ground robotic systems, military vehicles and personnel. In the same region, drone operators from the Northern grouping reportedly disrupted the movement of a Ukrainian sabotage group, forcing it to disperse.

In southern and eastern theatres, attack drones from the Eastern grouping struck Ukrainian units in the Zaporizhzhia region, preventing the rotation of troops and hitting both vehicles and personnel. Military officials said these operations were aimed at halting reinforcements and weakening frontline mobility. Meanwhile, the Southern grouping conducted two separate actions in the Donetsk area, disrupting Ukrainian rotations and destroying drone control points used by opposing forces.

Further west along the Dnipro axis, drone operators from the Dnipro grouping reportedly intercepted Ukrainian drones in the air and struck armoured vehicles and personnel on the ground. Officials said these engagements combined aerial surveillance with precision strikes to limit Ukrainian movements and reduce their operational capability.

Alongside air operations, Russia has increased the use of unmanned ground systems to support frontline logistics. Military officials said robotic platforms known as “Courier”, deployed by the Central grouping, are playing a key role in transporting ammunition and food to forward positions. These unmanned ground vehicles are remotely controlled and designed to move through minefields, explosive barriers and difficult terrain without exposing soldiers to direct risk.

The tracked robotic systems are reported to be capable of navigating shell craters, rubble and the remains of destroyed vehicles, maintaining supply routes under combat conditions. Military sources said the integration of aerial drones with ground-based robotic platforms has strengthened logistical security and improved operational efficiency on the battlefield, while continuing to disrupt Ukrainian troop movements and equipment deployment.