Ukrainan droonisotilas: Onko Puolustusvoimat laiminlyönyt droonikehitystä?

Summary

The guest, a Finnish veteran of the war in Ukraine who served as an FPV-drone operator, argues that drones have fundamentally changed modern combat. He appears anonymously because Russian propaganda channels have published personal information about foreign fighters, sometimes exposing them to harassment and other risks.

He says the battlefield has become increasingly transparent: drones, satellites, and other sensors can spot movement, and detected targets are often struck. In these conditions, concentrating troops or moving vehicles along predictable routes can be extremely dangerous. He describes a “kill zone” where both sides constantly adapt, using tactics such as remote mining, relay drones, and fibre-optic-controlled drones. Drones also help troops sustain isolated positions when conventional supply routes are unsafe. However, he stresses that drones have not replaced every other weapon or made all frontline roles obsolete.

The guest’s central criticism is that Finland’s Defence Forces may not be adapting quickly enough. He cites Ukrainian figures suggesting that drones account for roughly 90% or more of Ukrainian battlefield losses, while his own rough calculations put Finnish drone spending at less than one percent of defence procurement over a recent three-year period. He cautions that the issue is not simply buying more drones: the military also needs the expertise, training, and institutions to operate, maintain, and rapidly modify them.

In his view, FPV drones are better understood as digital weapon systems than as aircraft. Piloting is only a small part of the job; much of the work involves troubleshooting software and communications, adapting equipment to enemy countermeasures, and coordinating with specialists. He says Ukrainian and Russian drone units increasingly operate like technology companies, shortening the cycle from battlefield observation to testing and implementing improvements.

He criticizes Finnish procurement and organizational structures as too slow and bureaucratic, and questions whether assigning drones within existing military structures provides enough capacity for rapid adaptation. He also argues that reservists and veterans with relevant technical or combat experience are not being used effectively enough.

The guest points to Ukraine’s digital command platform, Delta, as an example of how battlefield information can be combined and shared. He also discusses Ukraine’s system for recording and verifying strike footage, which can help track enemy losses and direct resources. He acknowledges that reward systems based on verified results can distort tactical choices, even as they address problems such as false reporting.

The discussion highlights the human cost and moral complexity of drone warfare. The guest says remote operation can make killing feel more detached than direct combat, but the work remains stressful and dangerous, and comrades are still lost. He describes guilt, difficulty reconciling wartime actions with civilian identity, and living with PTSD as an ongoing struggle. He also recounts receiving unreasonable orders and relying on local commanders to find safer ways to carry them out.

Asked about the threat to Finland, he avoids making a definitive prediction. His concern is that Russia is learning from the war and from Western equipment and personnel while developing capabilities that Finland may not yet possess. He argues that defence spending should be justified by evidence from the war and by the capabilities needed—not by copying particular Ukrainian structures without considering whether they fit Finland.

The episode also mentions support for Finnish volunteers serving in Ukraine through the non-profit Your Finnish Friends. The guest says donations can help provide equipment and practical support, making frontline tasks safer.

Presenters and Contributor

• Teemu Liila — Presenter
• Kevin van Dessel — Presenter
• Lumipallo (A. Tammisaari) — Guest and Ukrainian war veteran, interviewed anonymously