Ukraine, Kharkiv: A Ukrainian soldier flies a drone.Image: keystone
As European countries arm themselves to protect themselves against the growing threat from Russia, they are increasingly relying on Ukrainian technology. But experts warn: Anyone who only takes over the devices will learn the wrong lesson from the war.
November 12, 2025, 10:24 p.mNovember 12, 2025, 10:27 p.m
Anna Von Stefenelli / watson.de
Europe is preparing for a new form of warfare that has long been part of everyday life in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began: drone warfare. Since Russian drones have been flying over European airspace with increasing frequency, there has been growing concern that their own armies are prepared for the wrong kind of war.
In just under four years, Ukraine has shown how a country can assert itself against superior military power: with creativity, speed and technological daring. Everything born out of necessity.
That’s why more and more European countries are buying Ukrainian drone technology. But experts are now warning against a dangerous mistake. Because purchasing alone is of little use when the going gets tough.
Ukraine: Because of the war, the country has massive drone expertise
Since 2022, Kiev has made the use of drones its own survival strategy and has redefined war in the process. Improvised tinkering projects became high-precision weapon systems, and start-ups became key military partners. According to the Atlantic Council, the number of Ukrainian drone manufacturers increased from a few operations to hundreds.
A Ukrainian soldier looks at a remote-controlled drone.Image: keystone
Millions of aircraft are now produced every year: from cheap reconnaissance drones to attack drones that can penetrate deep into Russian territory.
Ukraine is thus making up for its lack of artillery and air power. Kiev is forcing Russia to change its tactics. At the front, the drones form a ten-kilometer-deep “wall” that monitors the enemy’s movements and attacks them in a targeted manner.
Even at sea, Kiev uses unmanned boats that have broken the Russian naval blockade in the Black Sea. Putin’s navy then withdrew to Novorossiysk: a symbol of Moscow’s loss of power.
Ukraine War: Drone technology became more and more professional
Success transformed Kiev’s army. In the summer of 2024, Ukraine became the first country in the world to establish its own military unit just for unmanned systems: the Unmanned Systems Forces. At the same time, the state-funded innovation network Brave1 was created, which connects the military, the state and tech companies.
It is now seen as the engine of a new defense economy that fuses military needs and civilian innovation. But the most important resource remains people. According to Maria Berlinska, head of the Victory Drones project, about 90 percent of success in drone warfare depends on team training, not technology. Without well-coordinated crews, even the best drone remains useless, she explains, according to the Atlantic Council. So buying the technology isn’t enough.
Drones: Europe must rely on training instead of just technology
Ukrainian drone pilots have to be able to do more than just fly: they repair, program and adapt their systems in real time. Their training takes months. To ensure this standard, the Ministry of Defense has certified more than 30 training centers, supplemented by a network of voluntary initiatives and a mobile drone school that travels in a bus from front sector to front sector.
But while Ukraine thinks about training and technology together, many European countries focus primarily on procurement. The Ukrainian drone expert Fedir Serdiuk warned in an interview with “Euronews”: “I see more factories than training centers being built. This is a big mistake. It’s not just about technical skills, but also about tactical skills.”
Drones without expertise: Ukraine as a teacher for Europe
This is exactly where the problem lies. While European countries invest millions in drones, there is a lack of people who can use them effectively. The knowledge that Ukraine has gathered during bloody months at the front cannot simply be bought. It has to be conveyed.
That’s why countries like Denmark, Poland and Great Britain are now starting to bring Ukrainian trainers into the country. According to the Atlantic Council, they share their experiences with Western forces there. This knowledge transfer ranges from operational planning and maintenance to improvised strategies against enemy attacks.
This means that the center of power in Europe in terms of security policy is shifting. Ukraine becomes the teacher of the Western armies – especially in war. Or, as analyst David Kirichenko puts it: “Technology is nothing without training.” A sentence that could change Europe’s defense policy more lastingly than any new drone.