Russian drones briefly became far more accurate due to Starlink access. To Starlink’s credit, within a week or two they cut off service to any device moving faster than 75 km/h. They then created a registration system for Starlink units owned by Ukraine, effectively stripping Russian forces of Starlink connectivity on the front lines.
Despite that, Ubiquiti—owned by the Memphis Grizzlies’ owner—still provides roughly 80% of Russian battlefield Wi-Fi. Starlink accounts for only about 20%. Credit where it’s due: Starlink acted decisively.
The war in Ukraine has now lasted longer for Russia than World War II did. During WWII, however, Russia absorbed losses at an attrition rate likely more than 800% higher than what it is sustaining today.
We are now seeing Russia mount surface-to-air missiles on Shahed drones in an attempt to target helicopters or the civilian aircraft used to shoot drones down. So far, none have been successful, but the tactic has forced Ukrainians to operate more cautiously.
Russia has also begun deploying a small number of ground drones along the front lines.
While the volume of drones Russia is launching continues to grow exponentially, the components found in these systems have recent manufacturing dates. That suggests a hard limit: Russia can only deploy what it can currently produce. Its massive stockpiles of tanks, armored vehicles, and drones have largely been exhausted.