Ukraine’s Defense Forces conduct first ground attack using only drones — ISW

A representative of a Ukrainian brigade operating in the Kharkiv direction stated that the attack took place near the village of Lyptsi, north of Kharkiv, though no specific date was provided.

The operation involved dozens of UGVs armed with machine guns, which were also used for demining and fortifying positions, according to the report.

ISW noted that this underscores Ukraine’s efforts to leverage technology to compensate for its limited manpower compared to Russia’s military, which has demonstrated a willingness to endure significant losses for minimal territorial gains.

The institute added that Ukraine continues to enhance its drone production capabilities. On Dec. 20, Ukraine’s General Staff announced the completion of tests for fiber-optic drones, which are more resistant to electronic warfare interference. Russian forces have recently deployed similar drones, including in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.

Ukraine also revealed the development of a prototype for its first FPV drone made entirely from domestically produced components.