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"This innovation constitutes our coming danger," warns a defense consultant, who recently obtained a newly intercepted Russian unmanned aerial vehicle.

It was far from typical drone as well, it was revealed. Assisted by AI, this drone can find and strike objectives autonomously.

Beskrestnov has inspected numerous unmanned systems in his role as the nation's military advisor.

Unlike other models, it did not transmit or receive communications, so be impossible to be jammed.

Both sides' militaries are experimenting with AI in the conflict, and in some areas they are already deploying it, to assist in finding targets, intelligence collection and clearing mines.

And for the Ukrainian army, AI has become indispensable.

"Our military receives more than 50,000 video streams [from the front line] monthly which are analysed by AI," states Ukraine's deputy defence minister.

"It enables us rapidly process huge volumes of information, identify targets and mark them on a digital chart."

AI-Driven Tech as a Critical Asset

AI-enhanced tech is regarded as a instrument that improves military strategy, optimize assets and ultimately save lives.

But when it comes to unmanned weapons systems, it is also transforming the warzone.

Ukrainian troops already use AI-powered software so that drones lock on a objective and then fly autonomously for the last few hundred metres until the operation is over.

Signal disruption cannot be done and destroying such a tiny airborne device proves difficult.

Ultimately these systems are expected to evolve into completely independent armaments that are able to find and destroy objectives by themselves.

An operator will need to do is tap a icon on a smartphone app, explains a tech executive, head of a local developer.

It handles the rest, according to him, finding the target, dropping munitions, evaluating the damage and afterwards returning to headquarters.

"And it would not even require piloting skills from the soldier," he adds.

Interceptor Systems and Future Advancements

Defensive drones with that kind of automation could significantly enhance air defences targeting enemy long-range attack drones, like the notorious certain models.

"A computer-guided self-operating unit is better than a person in numerous aspects," says Azhnyuk. "It can be sharper. It detects the objective sooner than a person. It is quicker."

The official indicates such a technology does not exist yet, but he mentions the country is nearing completing its creation. "We have partially integrated it in certain equipment," says the deputy defence minister.

There could even be thousands of these technologies deployed by the end of 2026, claims the developer.

Cautions and Dangers of Total Autonomy

But Ukrainian developers are wary of completely relying on defence systems that depend solely on AI, without any human involvement. The risk is that AI may fail to distinguish a friendly soldier from a hostile combatant, since both could be wearing the identical attire, notes Vadym, who declined to give his surname.

His company makes remotely controlled machine guns, that employ artificial intelligence to automatically detect people and follow them. Due to worries about friendly fire, he says they avoid including an auto-fire feature.

"We can enable it, but we must gain further expertise and additional input from the ground forces to determine the safe conditions to use this feature."

Moral Issues and International Rules

Additionally, there are fears that automated systems could breach the rules of war. How will they avoid injuring non-combatants, or tell apart personnel who want to surrender?

For the deputy defence minister, the final decision in these cases must be made by a human, even if AI could make it "easier to decide". But there are no guarantees that states or militant factions will adhere to international humanitarian norms.

So counteracting these systems is even more critical.

How can one stop a "swarm of drones" when jamming or using jets, armored vehicles or missiles proves useless?

The nation's highly successful "Web" operation, when 100 drones targeted Russian air bases last June, is believed to be supported by AI tools.

Many in Ukraine worry that the adversary may replicate this approach, not only on the battlefront but further afield too.

The country's president warned the UN last month that AI was contributing to "the most destructive arms race in history."

He called for global rules for the use of AI in armaments, and stated the matter was "equally pressing as stopping the proliferation of nuclear weapons."