Improvisation and innovation have become central strategies for both Russian and Ukrainian forces as they attempt to outmaneuver each other on land, sea, and air.
Several recent examples highlight the ongoing advancement in tactics and weaponry: a newly introduced Russian jet-powered bomb, Ukraine’s deployment of light aircraft as long-range “suicide bombs,” and a newer generation of naval drones.
Both nations are actively utilizing AI, robotics, and unmanned systems at an accelerated pace.
Yet, some innovations remain surprisingly low-tech.
Earlier this month, under the cover of darkness at a Ukrainian airfield, a small team assembled a pilot-less light aircraft intended for a 2,000-kilometer (1,243-mile) mission deep into Russian territory. The target was the industrial city of Dzerzhinsk, located roughly 230 miles east of Moscow.
Attached beneath it was a very simple bomb.
Hours after the single-engine plane launched into the night sky, a significant fire broke out at an explosives factory in Dzerzhinsk that manufactures shells for the Russian military.
This initiative was developed by an aviation enthusiast known by the call-sign Goronych, who modifies single-seat aircraft into basic yet effective long-range missiles. In place of the pilot’s seat, additional fuel tanks and batteries power navigation and communication systems, according to a Ukrainian report by Babel, which CNN has verified.
Goronych and his team are currently part of Ukraine’s 14th special operations forces regiment, who discussed their activities with CNN. On Wednesday, per the Ukrainian military, they participated in an attack on a mechanical plant in Saransk, Russia—nearly 800 kilometers (497 miles) from Ukraine’s border—where detonators and mines are produced.
The Goronych project is one among dozens of adaptations by both sides throughout the conflict, particularly involving light aircraft and drones.
In September, Ukrainian military chief of staff Oleksandr Syrskyi noted that light aircraft fitted with machine guns proved effective in intercepting Russian drones and that additional purchases were under consideration.
Recently, Russian forces have started to deploy small planes armed with machine guns in occupied areas to shoot down Ukrainian drones headed toward Russian targets.
Their oversight was revealing these operations on television.
The Ukrainian Security Service tracked the base locations of these planes and announced on Tuesday that it had “neutralized two small aircraft that the occupiers stationed at airfields and used to shoot down Ukrainian long-range drones.”
However, not all innovations are this simple.
Recently, Russia introduced a new jet-powered guided bomb derived from its extensive supply of old “free-fall” bombs, per Ukrainian Defense Intelligence (DI).
“The range and combat radius of these bombs will be around 200 kilometers (124 miles),” stated Vadym Skybitski, deputy head of DI.
Prior to this, the Russians converted Soviet-era bombs into glide munitions with a range near 80 kilometers (50 miles), enabling aircraft to launch them while remaining safe from Ukrainian air defenses. In a single day last week, nearly 300 such bombs struck Ukraine, with a daily average just above 100, according to the Ukrainian General Staff.
The longer-range model—named UMPB-5—has already been deployed in strikes against Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine, in recent days. On Monday, a Russian aviation blogger stated the weapon “is now actively used against Ukraine… Production will begin soon, intensifying the conflict.”
Ukrainians have been at the forefront of maritime drone development, which have been notably effective against Russia’s Black Sea fleet. This week, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) revealed the latest generation of these drones.
According to the SBU, one was deployed in an attack on the bridge linking Russia and occupied Crimea in June. The upgraded models can travel beyond 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) and carry up to 2,000 kilograms (4,409 lbs) of explosives. They can also transport multiple rocket launcher systems.
Early in the conflict, Ukrainian forces adapted tactics and equipment more swiftly than Russian troops. Over time, defense analyst Dara Massicot noted, “Russian units added protective armor to vehicles, mastered new camouflage methods, and adopted small-unit assault tactics, among various other modifications.”
The Russian Defense Ministry also formed an elite drone unit called Rubikon, “which tests diverse tactical approaches that now shape training across other UAV units,” Massicot explained in Foreign Affairs.
Despite advances and increased domestic production of drones and missiles, Ukraine still relies heavily on continuous weapon supplies from allies. Repeated Russian missile and drone barrages—sometimes numbering several hundred in a single night—highlight gaps in Ukrainian air defenses.
Following a deadly attack overnight Friday into Saturday that claimed two lives in Kyiv, Zelensky reiterated calls for Western-made defense systems. Ukraine is “focusing especially on the Patriot systems to shield our cities from this threat,” he said.
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence reported in September that Russia aims to produce over 6,000 Shahed-type drones monthly.
Esa es solo una de las razones por las que Ucrania busca misiles de mayor alcance, para poder atacar objetivos como fábricas de drones en el interior de Rusia. Sin embargo, el presidente estadounidense Donald Trump ha declarado que, por ahora, el suministro de misiles de crucero Tomahawk queda fuera de discusión.
Kiev ahora deposita sus esperanzas en Europa para fortalecer sus capacidades. “Todos los que ahora ayudan a Ucrania con sistemas de defensa aérea y misiles están salvando vidas”, afirmó el presidente ucraniano, Volodímir Zelenski, el miércoles.
“Y todos los que ayuden a Ucrania con capacidades de largo alcance acercarán el fin de la guerra”, añadió.
Zelenski anticipó “un buen y, en muchos aspectos, completamente nuevo acuerdo sobre nuestras capacidades defensivas” en las reuniones con aliados europeos esta semana.
Pero, dado que la producción de armamento se mide generalmente en años en lugar de meses, la improvisación rápida sigue jugando un papel crucial en el campo de batalla.