The Telegraph: Ukrainian Armed Forces Drones And Tanks Struck With A United Force During The Offensive In The Kharkiv Region
1- 2.10.2026, 20:47
- 2,000
Tanks are still relevant in modern warfare.
The Ukrainian military is demonstrating that tanks have not lost their importance on the battlefield, even in 2026, when drones are widely used. This is discussed in an op-ed for The Telegraph (translation - “UniAn”) by retired British Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon.
The author notes that during Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, tanks have lost their former significance on the battlefield and have repeatedly been called obsolete weapons. This was confirmed by the thousands of Russian armored vehicles destroyed by anti-tank missiles and inexpensive FPV drones. At the same time, according to de Bretton-Gordon, this does not yet signal the end of the era of armored vehicles.
“Firepower, mobility, and protection remain the key components of success on the battlefield,” the author emphasizes.
As an example, he cites a recent operation by the Ukrainian military in the Kharkiv region. Tank crews from the 475th Assault Regiment “Code 9.2,” supported by their own drones, attacked a Russian troop position near Olkhovatka in the Kupiansk district. Two Ukrainian tanks advanced toward positions where Russian infantry had taken up positions in buildings and opened fire on them.
Russian forces attempted to stop the tanks with waves of attack drones. At the same time, the Ukrainian tanks had been pre-equipped with additional armor and protective structures against FPV attacks. They were also assisted by reconnaissance UAVs and Vampire attack drones, which detected targets, attacked Russian forces, and helped the crews operate with greater precision.
Despite repeated drone attacks, the tanks continued to carry out their mission, struck Russian positions, and withdrew without significant damage. As the author explains, the key factor was not only the armor but also the coordination of various components.
“A tank is not an isolated weapon system to be mindlessly sent across the battlefield, but a powerful component of combined-arms combat,” de Bretton-Gordon emphasizes.
He stresses that modern warfare requires the integration of tanks with infantry, artillery, reconnaissance, electronic warfare assets, and unmanned systems. Tanks alone cannot guarantee success, but drones, according to the author, are also incapable of single-handedly replacing all traditional weapons.
The expert attributes the astronomical losses suffered by Russian armored forces precisely to the fact that the Russians deployed armored vehicles without adequate support from infantry, reconnaissance, and protection against drones. Ukraine, on the other hand, is gradually learning to combine new technologies with the traditional principles of maneuver warfare.
De Bretton-Gordon notes that the future of armored vehicles depends on their adaptation to a battlefield saturated with sensors and drones. This involves enhanced protection against drones, modern sensors, reliable communications, electronic warfare capabilities, reconnaissance systems, and crew training.
“Ukraine is showing us what the future of armored warfare will look like. This is not a choice between tanks and drones, but a competition between armies that learn to integrate them and those that do not, the publication states.
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