A Ukrainian soldier told BI that the thermonaric warheads have gotten bigger, while a first responder said Russia is using them more frequently.

Despite the changes in warfare, Russian forces retain the ascendancy and are making slow but steady advances in the east and north of Ukraine. Russia has also caught up in UAV technology after falling behind early in the war, according to military analysts, and like its enemy is churning out drones domestically at a rate of millions a year.

Ukraine’s frontline has become a deadly ‘kill zone’ where surveillance and kamikaze drones are stalling Russian forces. Here’s how drone warfare is redefining the battlefield in 2025.

The Russians have fired thousands of Iranian-designed, 11-foot-long Shahed drones into Ukraine, while the Ukrainians have built their own long-range drones that can attack targets over 700 miles away.

On July 12, a dramatic event unfolded in Eastern Europe’s airspace. A Belarusian Mi-24 military helicopter shot down a Russian drone as it approached the Ukrainian border. Belarusian Mi-24 Intercepts Russian Drone Over Border Region A source from Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) confirmed the incident,