Ukraine Reduces Drone Strike Costs to $3,032 Per Soldier

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine announced that the average cost to kill or wound a Russian soldier via drone strike fell to $3,032 in June. This marks a significant decrease from 2024, when the estimated cost per soldier was $20,000. Other June strike costs included $2,674 for equipment and $1,487 for infrastructure facilities.

These figures are derived from Mission Control, a digital command-and-control module within the DELTA battlefield management system launched in January. The system analyzes over 50,000 logged missions and 230,000 weekly reports, requiring video evidence for successful hits. The digitalization effort replaces paper-based processes, allowing drone teams to log weapon costs and enemy losses to adapt to frontline conditions.

The ministry claims that every dollar spent on strikes in June inflicted nearly five dollars in losses on Russia. It further estimates that the Russian government spends $65,000 to sustain a single service member, asserting that the enemy incurs costs several times greater than those of Ukraine in every category.