Ukrainian forces defending Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast are shifting away from infantry warfare toward technology-driven combat, according to 28th Mechanized Brigade commander Colonel Anatolii Kulykivskyi. Robotic logistics systems and FPV drones now dominate the battlefield, as infantry positions are minimized to match the evolving frontline. The Kostiantynivka sector is now among the fiercest combat zones in Ukraine.
Ground drones now handle 70% of logistics near Kostiantynivka
Colonel Kulykivskyi told Army Inform that unmanned ground systems—ground drones known in Ukrainian military parlance as NRК—now manage 70% of the 28th Brigade’s frontline logistics. These robots are used to deliver UAVs, ammunition, and even hand warmers to isolated drone pilot stations across the frost-covered frontline. Air delivery remains critical in many cases, especially for remote foxhole positions that would be compromised by track marks left by robots in the snow.
The brigade uses nighttime thermal masking and daytime route selection to evade Russian drone surveillance. Still, Kulykivskyi acknowledged that their robotic fleet is under constant threat from Russian FPV drones, mines, and sabotage units. In January alone, the brigade's ground robot losses doubled compared to December, reflecting both increased reliance and heavy losses.
Each robot costs around ₴400,000 (about $10,000), making them as expensive as two night-vision Mavic reconnaissance drones or four daytime ones. Kulykivskyi admitted the brigade faces increasing challenges sourcing and funding replacements, saying,
“They destroy our NRKs almost daily.”
Infantry replaced with drones as tech reshapes defense
Kulykivskyi described current battlefield tactics as a clear departure from traditional infantry warfare.
“Modern war requires moving away from infantry warfare and infantry positions. This is still a war of technologies,” he said, emphasizing the shift to drones and robotic systems over static trench lines.
The brigade now covers front sections with one or two positions instead of the previous two battalions per kilometer, relying on continuous drone surveillance. Infantry positions are reduced to minimal footprints—tiny dugouts for two or three soldiers, supplied remotely. The commander noted some locations are so dangerous they can be reached safely only “one time in a hundred.”
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Extreme cold has made logistics and survival even harder, but it has also reduced Russian activity. Still, Kulykivskyi said Moscow’s forces continue infiltration attempts into Kostiantynivka with small infantry groups, exploiting fog and snow to evade Ukrainian surveillance. Drones remain key in detecting and eliminating these incursions.
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FPV drones define battlefield success, halt Russian advances
FPV drones are now central to Ukraine’s defense, especially against mechanized assaults. Kulykivskyi cited one major Russian push from the Toretsk direction in which Ukrainian forces launched around 130 FPV drone strikes to halt just two Russian tanks, which were reinforced with extra anti-drone armor layers. The attack also failed thanks to Ukrainian minefields, even though the tanks had mine-clearing plows.
Such drone-intensive tactics have discouraged further mechanized assaults on Kostiantynivka, the commander said. Yet, weather conditions have enabled small Russian groups to achieve minor, short-lived gains by infiltrating positions.
