Ukraine’s ‘Drone Line’ Will Fortify Defense and Bleed Russian Forces

A New Barrier Against Russian Advances

Ukraine’s "Drone Line" project, launched on February 9, 2025, marks a decisive shift in modern warfare, turning drones from a support tool into the backbone of frontline combat. By integrating unmanned aerial systems (UAS) directly with infantry, the initiative establishes 10-15 km kill zones, where Russian forces will face relentless aerial assault before ever reaching Ukrainian positions.

Designed for constant surveillance, precision strikes, and preemptive target elimination, this system maximizes Ukraine’s firepower while minimizing troop exposure—ensuring that every Russian advance comes at a devastating cost.

After launching the project, Ukraine’s defense minister Umerov stated that “the Ukrainian military will scale up five existing drone regiments and brigades in the Ukrainian military and border guard service and will integrate infantry and drones into a single strike system, which will enable Ukrainian forces to create kill zones 10 to 15 kilometers deep, will provide constant aerial support and infantry cover, and will detect and destroy Russian forces before they can approach Ukrainian positions.”

Ukraine has been using drones for nearly two years—so what’s the big deal now?