Ukraine’s government claims its Army of Drones Bonus system, which rewards field operators who successfully accomplish more kills of Russian troops, is a first of its kind in the world. ‘The program’s philosophy is simple,’ said Andrii Hrytseniuk, CEO of Brave1, the Ukrainian government agency that invented the competition. ‘The more you destroy, the more you receive.’

According to Ukraine’s military, field units earn points for each Russian soldier they kill and each weapon, vehicle, or piece of military equipment they destroy. Points may then be redeemed in an online government marketplace and used to buy more drones, with which to target more Russian forces.

The bonus system being used by Ukraine’s government indicates the high priority given to drone operations. According to both Russian and Ukrainian sources, in 2025, drones were responsible for more casualties than any other kind of weapon system. Because drones have become the weapon of choice for Russian and Ukrainian military forces, both sides have sought ways to make drone operations better organized and more effective. The Ukrainian system does both…

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For field operators, the point system is designed to reward those who are more innovative and effective at locating and eliminating Russian targets. The point system itself is classified by Ukraine’s military, which means the exact number of points given for each type of kill is not publicly known. But it is likely more points are given for bigger targets; for example, a tank is probably worth more points than a single enemy soldier because it has more combat value. 

While the point system appears to be good at rewarding skilled operators with more equipment and resources, it may also shortchange units that are less skilled or experienced. That could create imbalances in the field Russia could exploit. For instance, if one sector receives the lion’s share of new drones, other regions could have to make do with less, and the difference in firepower would be noticeable to Russian forces. And the most skilled Ukrainian drone operators would likely be high-priority targets themselves for Russia.

Still, drone operations appear to be inflicting serious damage on Russia’s military machine. According to the Washington Post, in May 2026, Ukrainian drones incapacitated or killed more than 35,000 Russian troops, the bloodiest toll in at least several months. It was the fifth straight month, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Federov said, that Moscow lost more troops than it can mobilize. Russia has not yet offered any response to Ukraine’s latest casualty claims. 

Drones have given Russia and Ukraine a low-cost yet highly effective way to keep the war going even while facing manpower shortages. Because one operator can employ several drones each day, more fighting can be done with fewer soldiers. While drones have become effective operating systems, they are undoubtedly prolonging the war since each side can use them in lieu of additional foot soldiers on the ground for a much lower cost.