Ukrainian military's effective use of drones cannot compensate for lack of ammunition - ISW

That's according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrinform reports.

According to ISW analysts, Ukrainian forces have partially mitigated ongoing artillery ammunition shortages by using first-person view (FPV) drones to blunt Russian infantry and armored vehicle assaults, although artillery systems can deliver much more powerful strikes than loitering munitions and drone-dropped munitions.

"Ukraine's ability to repel mechanized assaults with FPV drones is a partial mitigation, however, and continued shortages of artillery deprive Ukrainian forces of the ability to destroy armored vehicles rapidly and in large numbers," the report said.

U.S. European Command (EUCOM) Commander General Christopher Cavoli warned on April 10 that Russian forces currently have a five-to-one artillery advantage along the frontline – a statement consistent with Ukrainian officials' reports – but that Russian forces could have a 10-to-1 artillery advantage "in a matter of weeks" if the United States continues to delay the provision of military aid to Ukraine.

"Delays in Western military assistance have forced the Ukrainian military to husband materiel and that Ukrainian forces must make difficult decisions prioritizing certain aspects of its defense at the cost of lives and lost territory as well as at the expense of contesting the initiative to constrain Russian military capabilities or planning for future counteroffensive operations," ISW analysts said.

Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine