Ukrainian Armed Forces drones equipped with artificial intelligence systems are frequently flying into rear areas of Russia without human operator control, according to Russian law enforcement sources reported by state news agency TASS.
Russian security personnel reported noticing that medium and large uncrewed aerial vehicles maneuver when defensive fire is opened against them. Officials concluded that a portion of the incoming drones fly autonomously along specifically assigned routes to reach predetermined target points.
In some instances, aircraft attempt to execute evasive maneuvers after being fired upon, which security officials said indicates direct steering by a human operator. However, in the majority of cases, the drones continue along pre-programmed flight paths without any human intervention.
Autonomous flight paths
TASS, a state-owned Russian news agency based in Moscow, reported the statements from law enforcement officials regarding Ukraine's uncrewed aerial vehicle operations. Autonomous guidance systems allow uncrewed aircraft to navigate using satellite navigation coordinates or onboard flight controllers, reducing their reliance on continuous radio links with human operators on the ground.
The report follows previous assertions made by Russian military commentators regarding the use of foreign technology in long-range strikes. In August, military expert Alexey Leonkov stated in an interview with Russian media outlet Abszat that Ukrainian forces had launched attacks against Russia's Yaroslavl region using American artificial intelligence technology.
Digital battlefield management
The Yaroslavl region lies in western Russia, northeast of Moscow, hundreds of kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Ukrainian forces have routinely deployed long-range strike drones against industrial and infrastructure targets across western Russia during the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
Separately, American military publication Defense News reported in April that Ukraine had granted Germany access to its DELTA battlefield management system. Ukraine also provided access to other digital platforms designed to track Kyiv's weapon usage against targets in Russia in real time.
DELTA is a digital situational awareness software platform developed by Ukrainian defense software engineers to integrate real-time reconnaissance, satellite imagery, and drone feeds into unified operational maps for battlefield commanders.
Ukraine's Armed Forces have increasingly relied on domestic and Western technological solutions to maintain operations and enhance target coordination. The integration of digital tracking systems and automated flight algorithms allows military commanders to plan strikes across long distances while mitigating electronic jamming efforts.
