According to military expert and retired First Rank Captain Vasily Dandykin, the decline in small-arms combat in the special operation zone is directly tied to the mass use of drones.

He said unmanned systems now account for most destroyed armored targets and enemy personnel, which is why they are being used so intensively. In his description, drones move in first, strike targets, and if necessary troops follow up by laying mines.

Dandykin noted that firefights had been a routine feature of combat in 2022, 2023 and even 2024, including during the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Region, but have now been reduced to a minimum. At the same time, he said, snipers are still active on the front line, while assault units usually move in only after a sector has already been prepared, effectively carrying out a clearing operation.

In his view, the period when offensives were built around large armored columns has largely passed. He said troops are now using a range of robotic systems that can do more than clear mines or evacuate the wounded. According to Dandykin, these platforms are also capable of engaging aerial and armored targets and are operated remotely by a human controller.

Earlier, a Russian marine with the call sign «Singer» also said intense small-arms battles had become rare in the special operation zone. According to him, the last time he took part in such a clash was back in 2024.