Ukrainian and Russian forces are fighting conventional frontline battles, but the first major war in Europe in the internet age has also sparked a technology battle that Kyiv thinks it can win.
While both sides of the conflict have so far kept pace with each other, both in drone attacks and in satellite communications, Ukraine’s digital transformation minister, who is confident his country has the ambition to and the ability to outdo Russia in innovation.
Mikhail Fedorov stressed that unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), electronic warfare, satellite communications and other technologies were a key part of the war with Russia that began over a year ago.
“Technology allows traditional and modern artillery to be more accurate and help save the lives of our soldiers,” he stressed.
“When we look at ourselves, we can make better decisions about commanding our troops,” he added.
The Ukrainian minister acknowledged that Russia is also aware of the importance of technology on the battlefield and is actively developing and improving its own.
“Every day new “drones” appear on the battlefield from our side and from Russia. We see what “drones” they have. We remove, disassemble and study, ”said Fedorov.
The Minister of Digital Transformation also revealed that his government is planning new technology projects to encourage more competition and innovation.
“In this technological war, we will definitely win,” he assured.
Expectations have risen in recent weeks for a possible Ukrainian counteroffensive this spring.
Fedorov emphasized that it is impossible to imagine any effective operation without technology on the battlefield.
Ukraine has not carried out major operations to liberate the occupied territories since it regained the city of Kherson and part of the neighboring region in November last year. However, the frequency of reports of drone attacks in Russia has increased.
In recent months, a series of drone strikes have been carried out in southern and western Russia, signaling the growing reach of the Ukrainian armed forces.
After each terrorist attack, the Russian authorities blamed Ukraine, but the Ukrainian authorities did not openly take responsibility. Instead, they emphasized the right to hit any target in response to Russian aggression.
Fedorov stressed that the impact of Ukraine’s combat drones can be seen in Moscow’s actions, noting that Russia has now begun moving armored vehicles further from the front lines.
Regarding the battle for the city of Bakhmut, the longest of the entire war, Fedorov pointed out that “the use of technology in such situations is invaluable.”
“When we have limited resources of artillery, weapons, ammunition and strike drones, we need to be as accurate as possible,” he analyzed.
On the other hand, the delivery of aid promised by allies remains “critical,” warned the minister in charge of technology.
The military offensive launched by Russia on February 24, 2022 on the territory of Ukraine has so far caused the flight of more than 14.6 million people – 6.5 million internally displaced persons and more than 8.1 million to European countries – from, according to the latest UN data, who classify this migration crisis as the worst in Europe since the Second World War (1939-1945).
At the moment, at least 18 million Ukrainians are in need of humanitarian assistance, and 9.3 million are in need of food aid and housing.
The Russian invasion, justified by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security, was condemned by the international community as a whole, which responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and imposing political and economic sanctions on Russia.
The UN has presented 8,534 dead and 14,370 wounded civilians as confirmed since the beginning of the war, stressing that these figures are much lower than the real ones.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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