Ukraine is using NASA drones, Russia cries!
Ukraine is now said to use Martian drones in its war with Russia, a development that seems to worry Russia.
The war between Russia and Ukraine is still on despite distractions from the invasion of Iran. Russia has expressed concerns regarding what its military says are Russian AI-powered drones from America’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Russian military forces allege that Ukraine is now launching AI-powered NASA drones, otherwise termed Martian drones.
The French media reported these concerns yesterday. The media also interviewed a Defense analyst, Olena Kryzhanivska, a specialist in drones, unmanned systems, and military technology, based in Toronto, Canada.
In response to the drone allegations, the specialist said that Russia’s concerns began when Ukraine started using fixed-wing Kamikaze drones, often flying at very low altitudes.
These drones, she said, are relatively quiet, and Russian military forces may not hear them as they approach. Hence, the Russian military is concerned about the drones’ capacity to reach their destination stealthily.
Russia is also concerned about its use of Artificial Intelligence. That AI element, Olena says, increases the drones’ capacity to destroy their targets. She says the AI-powered drones can cause much more damage than ordinary ones.
Allegations of Western Involvement
During the interview, the drone specialist emphasized that NASA’s use of drones was just an allegation. She noted that Ukraine had yet to admit it. She also added that Russia believes Ukraine has been receiving drone-related help from Western countries.
Ms. Kryzhanivska also said that Russia, just like Ukraine, has been using AI-enabled technology in the war. She cited what she termed Russia’s use of “neural networks” in regions such as Kharkiv.
Ukraine’s Advancement in Technology
Still, the defense analyst acknowledged Ukraine’s advancement in drone technology. She confirmed that Ukraine is far more advanced in drone technology than the government has made public.
As for Russia’s NASA drone allegations, she concluded that the information needs further verification. She noted that Russia tends to exaggerate war-related matters. This includes its tendency to portray its military as having superior capabilities than it actually has.
While acknowledging the innovativeness of the Russian military, Olena said that many of its innovations also fail in wartime.
Although Putin’s regime has not shown as much frustration as it did two years ago, the military has slowed down its attacks on Ukraine. The only region where Russian forces appear to be highly active at present is the Donets coal area.
For now, much of the Russian government’s attention seems to be on how to leverage the ongoing war in Iran. Amid the confusion and contradictory warnings and sanctions the US has been issuing, Russia has somehow managed to increase its global oil sales.