Going into 2026, Ukrainian drone operators are getting better and better at taking out Russian cavalry, and yes, that is indeed a sentence. Over the past few weeks, the invading army appears to be trying new forms of attack as its advance has slowed. Large waves of attacks were suppressed by heavy NATO-made artillery, and mobile transports were torn apart by kamikaze drones and landmines. This resulted in individual soldiers trying to rush across no-man’s land on foot, but drones quickly dispatched them. What else can you try besides going back to 19?th century?
From a strictly military perspective, the troops deployed by the Russians were probably closer to dragoons than true cavalry. Like the early ATV assaults, this was just old Russian infantry using the vehicle to move quickly and then jumping out to fight on foot. That they’ve gotten this far says it all: the invaders must have been in desperate need of spare parts, forcing them to turn to animals. This is an indicator of overall economic deterioration. However, as The Daily Telegraph points out, horses are not made of metal, which would be a tactical advantage against magnetic mines.
That’s not to say these horses aren’t high-tech! The Russians have equipped their horses with Starlink terminals, and yes, that’s true too. According to the Kyiv Post, the soldiers put together a set of equipment that included a plate and a console. As the article points out, SpaceX will allegedly not do business with Russia, but the workaround will allow soldiers in. Russian military expert Samuel Bentet told Forbes that it all looked like improvisation by various units on the battlefield rather than coordinated doctrine from Moscow.
Read more: When (and why) did cars switch from leaded to unleaded fuel?
How to Beat a Horse (2026 Edition)
As always, the real horses didn’t have much say in the matter and had no idea what was going on. The Ukrainians clearly did not want to kill the four-legged vigilantes, which required a change in tactics. Normally, the kamikaze drones would just dive-bomb the soldiers in the vehicle, killing both of them. In an effort to save the poor horse, the operator now buzzes the horse to scare it, thus throwing off the rider. The drones circled back to attack the dismounted soldiers. This is battlefield empathy for you. The video above shows an example.
The whole thing is an example of hostile forces experimenting and adapting to each other, something Russia and Ukraine have been doing since the invasion began. Drone warfare, in particular, is being put to the test in this war, with new tactics constantly emerging. The U.S. military has taken note of this and is actively trying to move to smaller, cheaper platforms themselves. As the world adapts to this new form of conflict, expect more technological and theoretical innovations and counter-innovations. Even satellite-equipped dragoons, apparently. You know things are getting dire when the infantry begins to form into square formations.
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