The total absence of tiny drones, which Russian forces have frequently used in recent campaigns and military training, is one of the puzzles of Russia’s slower-than-expected push into Ukraine. UAVs serve as aerial “eyes and ears” in their typical concept of operations. So, if Russia’s military is increasingly relying on unmanned aerial vehicles, why hasn’t their existence been recorded over Ukraine? One explanation might be that Ukrainian air defenses and electronic warfare networks appear to be operational at this time, potentially interfering with Russian efforts to employ drones. Another is that, despite the Russian military’s earlier success with smaller UAVs, the defense ministry has only lately approved the procurement of larger and more powerful drones.
Source: https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2022/03/where-are-russias-drones/362612/
