We went back to Ukraine and were stunned at how much its weapons have evolved in just one year

Aug 02, 2026 05:43 PM - 1 month ago 603

Soldiers from the 93rd Brigade's drone portion trial fibre optic drones earlier utilizing them connected the beforehand statement successful Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, connected March 9, 2026.

Ukraine's caller procreation of robotic weapons

At Business Insider, we're a small obsessed pinch weapons and defense arsenic portion of our exertion and invention coverage. To get you the latest from the field, we sent 2 journalists, Robert Leslie and Jake Epstein, to Ukraine successful May. Their sum is here, and much is coming.

Robert and Jake, what was the azygous biggest astonishment from your trip?

JE: For me, how overmuch progress Ukraine has made pinch robotics and drones compared pinch my erstwhile sojourn successful March 2025. The tech is acold much blase and is progressively reliant connected AI.

RL: Hearing from subject units astir really accelerated they tin create caller iterations of their ground, air, and oversea drones was eye-popping. In conscionable a fewer weeks, they tin creation and battle-test exertion that would return peace-time armies months, moreover years.

How is this caller tech straight supporting the quality soldiers still risking their lives?

JE: The champion illustration is ground robots replacing humans successful vulnerable front-line missions, including retrieving wounded soldiers and transporting them to safer locations for care.

RL: We besides saw elephantine bomber drones that are progressively being deployed arsenic heavy-lift platforms to present food, medicine, and h2o to the front.

What do you now spot arsenic the biggest questions astir this warfare and the early of war?

JE: The heavy drone saturation connected the battlefield has prevented either broadside from capturing immoderate meaningful territory successful years. What seems much impactful now are heavy strikes: for Ukraine, mid- to long-range drone attacks connected Russian logistics, proviso routes, and power infrastructure.

RL: The usage of AI successful target recognition and drone navigation is widespread, but successful astir cases, a quality manus is still connected the trigger. The large mobility is, really soon earlier AI completes the "kill"?

Check retired our video connected Ukraine's latest weapons.

Jamie Heller is Editor successful Chief of Business Insider. Before joining BI, she spent much than 20 years astatine The Wall Street Journal successful a assortment of editing roles, including starring business and tech coverage. Before the WSJ, she was a journalist astatine TheStreet.com, SmartMoney magazine, the Connecticut Law Tribune and the Rutland Herald. She attended Dartmouth College and Yale Law School.