Inside an elite Ukrainian drone unit: a special report | The Economist

Ukraine’s modern battlefield, dominated by drones and data-driven innovation, serves as a grim preview of future warfare. The Nemesis Brigade, an elite unit founded by tech-focused civilians, operates with a startup-like culture, prioritizing speed, transparency, and a relentless cycle of technological iteration. Deputy commander Pavlo Latsionov and co-founder Oleksii Honcharuk emphasize that warfare has shifted toward affordable mass, where small, lethal FPV drones are increasingly used to target civilian infrastructure. This evolution renders traditional military strategies obsolete, as the front line now extends into cities. Western nations remain alarmingly unprepared for this shift, failing to grasp that future conflicts will prioritize cheap, scalable technology over expensive, legacy systems. To survive, military forces must adopt agile, decentralized structures and integrate local industry into rapid innovation loops, recognizing that the battlefield can reach any capital within hours.