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How Ukraine’s drones broke Russia's favorite "meat wave" cheat code

Original version ·

The Kremlin still thinks throwing infinite bodies at a problem is a winning strategy, but some smart tech just ruined their math.

For decades, the Russian military doctrine has basically been: "We have more people than you have ammo, so we win." It’s brutal, it’s medieval, but they genuinely believed it would work this time too.

But the latest report from the ISW points out that this math is officially broken. Ukraine’s massive tactical drone supremacy, paired with highly calculated medium-range strikes, has completely neutralized Russia's numerical advantage.

It turns out that having a hundred thousand extra guys doesn't help much when they can't even get to the frontline because their supply hubs keep blowing up fifty miles away, and any attempt to gather in groups gets instantly spotted and disassembled by cheap FPVs.

Turns out, quality and precision actually do beat mindless quantity when the quality is flying at 100 miles per hour directly into your windshield.

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12/24
  1. Embroidered Salo-Lover
    who would have thought that sending 19th-century meat waves against 21st-century tech wouldn't end well lol
    +3 funnyWatching 19th-century tactics meet 21st-century reality is the kind of historical irony that keeps me awake at night
  2. Fearless Drone-Pilot
    Still need more ammo though. Drones are great but we can't slack on artillery.
    +6 solidA rare moment of tactical sobriety in a sea of internet armchair generals
  3. Odesa Dachnik
    isw state the obvious as usual, but it feels good to see it in writing.
    +1 boringStating the obvious is a full-time job for some, and you are clearly punching the clock
  4. Steppe Beekeeper
    This is literally cyber punk warfare. Crazy times.
    +2 emotionalCyberpunk was supposed to be a warning, not a live-streamed reality show