ISW: Even The Kremlin Recognized This

Ukraine has gained a serious advantage.

Ukraine's defense forces have achieved a tangible advantage over Russian troops in the use of drones. This advantage is already noticeably slowing down the Russian advance on the front. This is recognized not only by Russian military bloggers but, according to unconfirmed reports, even in the Kremlin, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports in its new report.

The ISW analysts note that since the end of 2025, and especially in early 2026, Ukraine has significantly stepped up strikes against Russian logistics, military equipment, and manpower. Geolocation confirmations show a sharp increase in medium-range strikes: 41 strikes in January, 61 in February, and already 115 in March 2026. Most of these strikes were in eastern and southern Ukraine, particularly in the area of occupied Donetsk. This has significantly worsened Russia's preparations for offensive operations in recent weeks and months.

According to AFU Commander-in-Chief Alexander Syrsky, announced on April 9, Ukrainian unmanned systems conduct more than 11,000 combat sorties every day. In March 2026 alone, they struck more than 150,000 confirmed targets - 50 percent more than in February.

In total, Ukrainian forces conducted more than 350 medium-range strikes, including:

143 against logistics facilities and warehouses,

52 against command posts,

20 against oil and gas and energy infrastructure.

Russian military bloggers are also forced to recognize Ukraine's growing advantage in drone use and technological adaptations. ISW emphasizes that Ukrainian drone innovations have allowed Russian forces to inflict significantly higher losses in the first quarter of 2026 compared to 2025.

One Russian blogger reported that on the border of the Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhya regions, Ukrainian troops are simultaneously using between 300 and 400 drones deployed up to 20 kilometers deep.

In the winter of 2025-2026 and the spring of 2026, Ukraine has achieved its greatest successes on the battlefield since the invasion of the Kursk region in August 2024 and liberated the most territory since the 2023 counteroffensive.

Separately noted are the successes of Ukrainian unmanned systems forces in destroying Russian air defenses and intercepting enemy drones:

in January, 2,975 UAVs were intercepted,

in February, 3,679,

and in March, already 7,674.

"Interceptor drones are important tactically," the ISW report said. - The more often Ukraine shoots down Russian drones, the slower Russian forces advance and the easier it is for Ukrainian forces to conduct counterattacks."

Unconfirmed reports suggest that the Kremlin tacitly recognizes Ukraine's advantage in the use of drones and the development of its defense industrial base. According to a Russian military blogger, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov reportedly told Vladimir Putin that Ukraine has a "significant" technological advantage in frontline drone warfare.

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