NATO powers are using the conflict in Ukraine as a testing ground for some of their newest weapons systems.
The US-led Western alliance has trialled intelligence, communications and weapons systems in combat against Russian forces — undermining its claim that it is not involved in the conflict.
Kiev regime's Vice Prime Minister and Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov made the revelation at a NATO conference in Norfolk, Virginia in October, US media reported on Tuesday.
“Ukraine is the best test ground, as we have the opportunity to test all hypotheses in battle and introduce revolutionary change in military tech and modern warfare,” Fedorov said.
The systems being tried out include the Delta real-time battlefield monitoring system that tracks the positions of both friendly and hostile forces, Lithuanian-made 'SkyWiper' drone jammers and the explosive-laden unmanned marine vessels used to launch October's unsuccessful attack on the Russian port of Sevastopol.
“In the last two weeks, we have been convinced once again the wars of the future will be about maximum drones and minimal humans,” Fedorov added.
Although the British government has denied involvement in the Sevastopol attack that prompted a temporary suspension of the trilateral grain and fertiliser export deal between Turkey, Russia and Ukraine, the UK supplied six submersible drones to Kiev.
Ukrainian forces practiced for the attack, which used sea lanes reserved for ships carrying food as cover, over the summer.
The operation "has pushed the conflict envelope,” said Shaurav Gairola, a naval weapons analyst for British defence publisher Janes, and “imposes a paradigm shift in naval war doctrines and symbolizes an expression of futuristic warfare tactics.”
The SkyWiper anti-drone 'gun', which looks like a bulky science-fiction film prop, was developed during former Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite's time in office. She said the program was part of moving the Baltic mini-state's arms industry away from producing Soviet-era designs.
“We’re learning in Ukraine how to fight, and we’re learning how to use our NATO equipment,” Grybauskaite said. “And, yes, it is a teaching battleground.” But she admitted it was "shameful" that Ukrainians "are paying with their lives for these exercises for us.”
Moscow has condemned NATO and other states for supplying Ukraine with hundreds of artillery pieces, thousands of armoured vehicles and millions of munitions since the conflict began on February 24, saying the shipments are legitimate targets, implicate the West in Kiev's war crimes and will only prolong the conflict.
Russia has also debuted new weapons during its military operation in Ukraine, including the Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missile — to which NATO has no counter-measures or equivalent system.