Russia ramps up drone, guided bomb attacks to thwart counteroffensive

Russian state media has reported a ramp-up in production of Lancets, and at a cost estimated at $30,000 to $35,000, they are far cheaper than higher-end drones and missiles, said Samuel Bendett, a member of the Russian studies program at the Center for Naval Analyses in Arlington.

Ukrainian forces have adapted by rolling nets and chain-link fencing around critical systems, with the barriers designed to detonate Lancets before they strike the target itself. Electronic jamming is another defensive option, officials have said.

Soldiers can also bring down Lancets with machine guns and small arms, but that requires being able to see them. Often the drones fly at night, when it is difficult to tell where they are coming from, Bendett said.

The increased reliance on Lancets is just one example of how Ukrainian and Russian tactics are evolving more than 18 months after Moscow’s invasion.

“We’re probably going to see more drones like Lancets used along the entire depth of the front and beyond,” Bendett said.

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