Ukrainian Drones Exploit Major Flaw in Russian Airpower

As Ukrainian drones strike deeper into Russian territory, they are revealing more than just gaps in Russian air defense — they are exposing a fundamental flaw in how Russia fights modern wars. Despite boasting a large and diverse fleet of combat aircraft, Russia’s air force is poorly equipped to handle the growing wave of small, low-flying drones. Lacking modern targeting pods and precision engagement systems, Russian jets are forced to rely on visual identification and improvised tactics that waste time, fuel, and expensive munitions. This isn’t just a technical failure — it’s the result of decades of military doctrine that prioritized rugged simplicity over technological sophistication. In today’s drone-driven battlespace, that tradeoff is proving increasingly unsustainable.