(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
 . . . . . . . . . .



Surrendering to a Ukrainian drone: a safe way to stop combat [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2024-08-14  

Drones have changed warfare in Ukraine. Ukrainian long-range, jamming-immune drones attacked a Russian Arctic airfield. Small, inexpensive but high-precision drones have blown up countless tanks, while others delivered food and supplies to cut off troops. Last week, they played a major role in enabling the border breach into the Kursk Oblast.

(A) drone with a speaker and microphone approaches Russian troops and invites them to lay down their arms. They follow the drone back to Ukrainian lines where they are taken safely into captivity.

Russian soldiers have surrendered to drones before, but only by happenstance. This instance has become iconic , for the human understanding between the troop on the ground and the drone operator. Some surrenders were treacherous. Some, made without drones as intermediaries, were botched:

‘I Want to Live’ hotline for Russian soldiers to surrender. They call the number then are given a time and place for a quadcopter to take them to Ukrainian lines. Four thousand Russian troops have surrendered in this way. Previously, Ukraine has set up thehotline for Russian soldiers to surrender. They call the number then are given a time and place for a quadcopter to take them to Ukrainian lines. Four thousand Russian troops have surrendered in this way.

Ukraine is making surrender safe and simple. Russian soldiers don’t have to agonize over making the call. Instead, a drone flies over their positions and delivers the message to stop fighting. The drone’s speaker facilitates back and forth communication, which will remove the element of fear or distrust on both sides. For soldiers normally harassed by bomb and grenade-dropping drones, one with a friendly invitation to safety has to be a welcome alternative.

, with some . Many are border guards or other second-line troops who were never ready for actual battle. Much larger numbers of Russian troops may be receptive to an offer of surrender, if they receive it, and drones may be a good way to facilitate the process. Right now surrender is set to become more frequent in this conflict. The Ukrainian operation in Kursk has taken a significant number of Russian prisoners, over 2,000 by some accounts , with some surrendering in large groups . Many are border guards or other second-line troops who were never ready for actual battle. Much larger numbers of Russian troops may be receptive to an offer of surrender, if they receive it, and drones may be a good way to facilitate the process.

My conclusion:

If it can be done on a large scale, surrender by drone would be a good way for Ukraine to absorb the meat waves Russia manages to bring to the frontline, month after month. Ukraine has deployed its drone arsenal to destroy Russia’s war equipment placed on its soil. With this latest application, Ukraine shows there is a path to peace: through Russia’s own troops. If Vladimir Putin doesn’t get the message, the Russian people will.

If you’re on Twitter or LinkedIn, please help David Hambling raise his profile. He has stood with Ukraine from Day One.

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/8/14/2263150/-Surrendering-to-a-Ukraine-drone-a-safe-way-to-stop-combat?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web

Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/