Updated · United States Military Academy West Point · Jun 23
Modern War Institute Says Drones Cannot Seize Ground, Citing 100-Meter Front Shifts in Ukraine
Updated
Updated · United States Military Academy West Point · Jun 23
Modern War Institute Says Drones Cannot Seize Ground, Citing 100-Meter Front Shifts in Ukraine
2 articles · Updated · United States Military Academy West Point · Jun 23
Summary
Ukraine’s drone-saturated battlefield still moves only by hundreds of meters a month, which the Modern War Institute analysis says shows drones can kill and disrupt but not deliver decisive victory.
Eric Wesley argues the core limit is unchanged across wars: drones cannot seize, hold or politically control territory, so ground forces still must cross the field, clear positions and occupy them.
The analysis likens drones to World War I machine guns—a technology that made maneuver brutally costly without replacing it—until tanks restored enough mobility for breakthroughs.
Future advantage, Wesley says, will come from counterdrone fixes such as electronic warfare, directed-energy weapons and autonomous ground systems that let forces maneuver again under constant aerial threat.
If drones are the new machine gun, what technological 'tank' will finally break the current battlefield stalemate?
Can autonomous drone swarms achieve victory by simply denying territory, making human occupation completely irrelevant in future wars?
With billions now spent on laser weapons, will the age of drone dominance on the battlefield be shockingly brief?
Stalemate by Surveillance: The Strategic and Ethical Impact of Drones in the Ukraine-Russia War
Overview
As of June 2026, the war in Ukraine is shaped by rapid technological innovation and entrenched positions, with drones playing a central role. The widespread use of unmanned aerial vehicles has created constant surveillance and immediate targeting, making it very hard for either side to move troops or gain territory. This has led to a largely static front line, even though intense fighting and attrition continue every day. While drones offer new tactical advantages, they have also made large-scale breakthroughs nearly impossible, turning the conflict into a grinding war of endurance and adaptation.