Politico: Ukrainian drone operators get game-styled points for Russian kills, exchange them for more weapons

Ukraine’s military implemented a video game-inspired incentive program to motivate soldiers to target Russian forces more effectively.

The “Army of Drones bonus” system rewards troops with points when they provide video evidence of successful drone strikes against Russian targets.

Modern warfare has shifted toward drone dominance and long-range systems, transforming battlefield dynamics. Drones now play a central role in surveillance, precision strikes, and expanding the contested “gray zone” between forces.

According to Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister and minister for digital transformation, the points system will soon connect with a new online platform called Brave 1 Market, Politico reports.

“Brave 1 Market will be like Amazon for the military, [it] will allow military units to directly purchase technologies they need on the war front,” Fedorov explained during a military tech conference in Kyiv.

The point structure varies by target type: soldiers receive 20 points for damaging a tank and 40 for destroying one, up to 50 points for eliminating a mobile rocket system depending on its caliber, and six points per enemy soldier killed. To earn these points, drone operators must upload video confirmation to the military’s Delta communication system.

The accumulated points enable units to acquire new equipment. For example, a Vampire drone (nicknamed Baba Yaga), which can carry a 15-kilogram (33 lbs) warhead, costs 43 points. The Ukrainian government finances these purchases and promises delivery to front-line units within a week.

“In short, you destroy, you get the points, you buy a drone using the points,” Fedorov summarized.

The program has already shown results. Fedorov cited one elite drone unit, Magyar’s Birds, which has accumulated over 16,298 points—enough to purchase 1,000 first-person view drones, 100 Vampire drones, and 40 reconnaissance drones.

This system serves multiple purposes: directing equipment to the most effective units, circumventing bureaucratic procurement processes, and allowing direct purchases from manufacturers. The Brave 1 marketplace currently offers more than a thousand items, including drones, robotic systems, electronic warfare equipment, AI systems, and other weapons.

The points system also sparked competition among units, with approximately 90 percent of the army’s drone units participating.

This competition created logistical challenges, as Fedorov noted: “They started killing so quickly that Ukraine does not have time to deliver new drones.”

Additionally, the system improves the military’s verified data collection on Russian target destruction, enhancing real-time battlefield awareness.

Ukrainian officials continue to refine the system to increase its impact.

“For example, we have increased the number of points for infantry elimination from two to six, and that has doubled the number of destroyed enemies in one month,” Fedorov stated. “This is not just a system of motivation, this is a mechanism that changes the rules of war.”

Ukraine produces over 5 million FPV drones annually and develops hybrid missile-drone systems like Palianytsia and Peklo, while Russia adapts tactics by using motorcycles and replicating Ukrainian counter-drone strategies.

European nations like Estonia, Denmark, and Finland are investing heavily in drone capabilities, aided by Ukraine’s frontline expertise shared internationally through training programs.

Estonia opened a €5 million drone training center, Denmark invested $110 million in a new Odense drone facility to train 100 operators by 2026, and Finland is developing Arctic-condition drone infrastructure.