Ukraine can achieve drone parity with Russia through strategic development, advanced technology – expert

Anatolii Khrapchynskyi, deputy CEO of a company specializing in electronic warfare systems, said this on Espreso TV.

“I fully support the idea of using drones with fiber‑optic connections because this type of weapon allows us to operate effectively in complex or uncertain electronic environments,” Khrapchynskyi said. “It’s a targeted solution that enables us to destroy the enemy with high efficiency. But let’s compare the capabilities of a fiber‑optic drone, where a pilot carries out a mission for 20 minutes, with artillery. Artillery can fire four to eight rounds per minute, meaning dozens of shots in 20 minutes. Of course, an FPV drone is far more precise — 20 artillery shells might equal a single accurate strike from an FPV drone. Still, we need to understand that we must become more technologically advanced. We don’t have enough personnel, and training drone pilots takes time and resources.”

According to Khrapchynskyi, Ukraine must focus on developing systems capable of carrying out combat missions autonomously. Some companies have already created AI‑powered cameras that can guide a drone to a target from up to 400 meters away.

“The main task of such a drone is to reach the area where the enemy is located, acquire the target using built‑in AI or a set of algorithms, and strike it,” he explained. “In the future, this should work as follows: a soldier launches the drone like a grenade, it deploys its wings, flies to the designated sector, detects the target and destroys it. As a result, the number of precise strikes will increase significantly. This is exactly what I mean by becoming more technologically advanced.

We need to think strategically and technologically. This approach will allow us to reach parity with Russia. We don’t have enough troops, nor do we have the ability to deliver strategic strikes with payloads over 400 kilograms. But we can be smarter, more technologically innovative and strategically farsighted.

We need to develop a range of different weapon systems that can perform various tasks. That’s why it’s crucial to advance both tactically and technologically at the same time,” Khrapchynskyi added.