Ukraine's Drone Game: A High-Stakes Competition to Reward Military Success

The Ukrainian government has introduced a unique program to motivate its drone operators and reward successful attacks on Russian soldiers and equipment. The competition, which awards points for hitting targets, has become a high-stakes game for drone regiments, with the best teams vying for access to advanced drones and equipment. The program has been expanded to include new drone regiments and has become a key part of Ukraine's do-it-yourself ethos in drone procurement.

Key Takeaways:

• The Ukrainian government's drone game rewards successful attacks on Russian soldiers and equipment with points, which can be used to acquire advanced drones and equipment.
• Drone operators can earn points for killing Russian soldiers (12 points), wounding them (8 points), damaging their equipment (20-70 points), and destroying targets using guidance systems with artificial intelligence (still kinks).
• The point system has been adjusted to reflect changing Russian tactics, with a focus on taking out Russian soldiers and their equipment.
• The program has become a key motivator for drone operators, with top teams competing for the top spot on an online leaderboard.
• The Ukrainian government's internal online marketplace, Brave1 Market, has facilitated the acquisition of over 80,000 drones and electronic-warfare systems, worth over $96 million.
• Units can earn points for using robotic ground vehicles on logistics missions, detecting Russian equipment with reconnaissance drones, and destroying targets using guidance systems with artificial intelligence.

Statistics:

• Over 400 drone teams compete in the Ukrainian government's drone game.
• Units can earn up to 120 points for capturing a Russian soldier alive.
• Destroying a Russian multiple-launch rocket system can earn up to 70 points.
• Damaging a tank is worth 20 points.
• The Russian Army mobilizes around 25,000 new recruits a month.
• Ukraine needs at least two attack drones for every Russian infantry soldier, or around 50,000 a month, to satisfy its military needs.
• Ukraine's drone units have acquired over 80,000 drones and electronic-warfare systems, worth over $96 million, through the Brave1 Market.

Sources:

• Stun, a 33-year-old drone commander for the Ukrainian unmanned systems regiment known as Achilles, who was quoted in the article.
• Mykhailo Fedorov, the minister of digital transformation, who helped devise the program.
• Yuriy Fedorenko, the commander of the Achilles regiment, who said that Ukrainian soldiers must kill or gravely injure as many as 25,000 Russian soldiers a month.
• Robert Brovdi, the overall commander of the unmanned systems units of the Ukrainian armed forces, who was quoted in a video posted in June.