**> <a> <**> <i> <** =war in europe: 2024= by august 2024, ukraine took a bold step by launching an incursion into russia's kursk oblast, marking the first major ukrainian offensive on russian soil since the war began. the incursion succeeded in diverting russian troops away from occupied ukrainian territories, though it did not halt russias advances in the east. meanwhile, russia continued its offensives toward pokrovsk and chasiv yar, key strategic locations in eastern ukraine. throughout august and september 2024, there is a noticeable surge in the use of drone technology by both ukrainian and russian forces. for instance, on 1 august, forbes claimed that ukraine had launched more drones than russia during july, a strategic shift that likely reflects ukraines adaptation to cost-effective, asymmetrical warfare. ukrainian drones struck critical russian targets, such as oil depots and airfields in belgorod, rostov, and oryol oblasts on 3 august, alongside strikes on russian assets, including multiple warehouses. russia's response to these attacks escalated with retaliatory drone and missile strikes, such as those targeting civilian infrastructure in vinnytsia. furthermore, by 9 september, ukraine had reportedly used drones to strike 158 russian targets, showcasing its growing competence in drone warfare. these developments highlight how drones have become a centerpiece of modern warfare, allowing both sides to conduct strikes far behind enemy lines, often bypassing traditional air defense systems. this method allows for increased operational tempo, reduced risk to human pilots, and the ability to hit high-value targets without exposing critical personnel. as this technology proliferates, it blurs the lines between traditional and unconventional combat.
United States