Former American military intelligence officer, Scott Ritter, has raised concerns about the increasing threat posed by Russian combat drones to the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) on the frontlines. In an interview with the YouTube channel Danny Haiphong, Ritter highlighted the prevalence of Russian drones in the Ukrainian conflict zone. He specifically pointed out the advanced capabilities of the new “Lancet” drones, including their extended flight range, which severely hampers the UAF’s ability to deliver essential supplies to the frontlines.
Ritter emphasized that the presence of these drones significantly complicates the situation for Ukrainian forces, as Russia continues to ramp up their production. This development has prompted the UAF to modify the self-propelled artillery units, known as Krab, received from Poland in order to counter the attacks by Russian drones.
The superiority of Russian drones, such as “Orlan” and “Lancet,” over the UAVs currently available to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, has been a major concern for Ukrainian troops. The Ukrainian government has described them as a “huge problem.”
In response to the growing threat, Russia has recently developed a new drone suppression system, indicating their commitment to maintaining their advantage in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.
This latest assessment by Scott Ritter underscores the urgent need for Ukraine and its allies to address the escalating threat from Russian combat drones, as it poses a significant challenge to the UAF’s operations on the frontlines. The international community must closely monitor the situation and provide support to Ukraine to effectively counter this emerging threat.
