Drones reshape warfare, targeting US tanks in Ukraine conflict

Russian forces have destroyed five of the main M1 Abrams battle tanks out of the 31 sent to Ukraine from the USA last autumn, reports the "New York Times", citing information from a high-ranking US official.

Russians have already destroyed five Abrams that arrived in Ukraine in autumn 2023. Colonel Markus Reisner, who tracks the use and loss of weapons during the war in Ukraine, also claims that at least three other tanks have been seriously damaged since being sent to the front at the beginning of 2024.

According to Oryx, a military analytical service that counts losses based only on visual evidence, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, a total of 796 Ukrainian battle tanks have been destroyed or captured. Meanwhile, the Russians are said to have lost 2,900 tanks.

The NYT claims that during this conflict, drones have been used on a much larger scale than before to destroy tanks.

"The drone combat in Ukraine that is transforming modern warfare has begun taking a deadly toll on one of the most powerful symbols of American military might — the tank," writes the "New York Times". The authors believe this could completely change how tanks are used.

The NYT notes that until now, tanks have been primarily targeted by mines, explosive devices, rocket-propelled grenades, and anti-tank-guided missiles.

"The drones that are now being used against tanks in Ukraine are even more accurate. Known as first-person view drones, or FPVs, they are equipped with a camera that streams real-time images back to their controller, who can direct them to hit tanks in their most vulnerable spots," reads the analysis in the NYT.