According to Die Zeit observers, the so-called kill zone in Ukraine, where drones can destroy equipment and personnel, has expanded to 40 kilometers and continues to grow each month.
The authors reported that tanks and armored personnel carriers have nearly disappeared from frontline positions. The mass use of unmanned aerial vehicles now allows forces to detect and strike almost any moving target within the combat zone.
Die Zeit estimates that there are currently at least ten drones operating over every square kilometer of the front. Under these conditions, concentrating troops near the line of contact for a large-scale offensive has become increasingly impractical.
Earlier, Yevgeny Lasiichuk, commander of the 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces, said the traditional line of contact no longer exists in its former form. He assessed the kill zone as extending 20 to 25 kilometers on each side.
In June, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Alexander Syrsky also said the widespread use of drones had restricted both sides’ ability to conduct major operations. He noted that the battlefield had become far more transparent, with any concentration of troops within 40 kilometers of the front quickly detected from the air in clear weather.