Ukraine Fields Counter-Drone Rifle Rounds, Disrupting Russian Offensive

Over the past three years, drone technology has reshaped the Russia-Ukraine battlefield. In this war, both sides are deploying large numbers of increasingly advanced small drones, forcing a shift away from large formations of armored vehicles, which are easily targeted. Instead, both sides are now using smaller troop formations that are spread out to reduce vulnerability. However, as drones become more widely used, both Ukraine and Russia are now using them to target these smaller formations, who have little protection against them. In response, Ukraine is beginning to produce counter-drone rifle rounds that can be fired from standard assault rifles. These new rounds are arriving at a critical moment and are expected to play a key role in halting Russia’s latest offensive.

Ukraine’s New Counter-Drone Rifle Rounds

Brave1, a Ukrainian defense innovation initiative, posted a video on June 30 showing soldiers successfully using a new type of round to destroy a small drone. The round is a standard 5.56 mm cartridge designed for NATO rifles, including the CZ Bren and the M4, both of which are commonly used by Ukrainian forces. Although Brave1 did not disclose the technical specifications, Militarnyi, a Ukrainian military media outlet, indicated that the round is already in limited operational use and provided a description of how it functions. After being fired, the round breaks apart into approximately five fast-moving pellets. When multiple rounds are fired in rapid succession, they produce a shotgun-like spread that can effectively engage drones at ranges of up to 50 meters.

According to Brave1’s post, Ukraine is ramping up production to provide each soldier with at least one magazine of these rounds. This approach allows individual soldiers to defend against drones without carrying another heavy system. Instead, when a drone is detected, they can quickly switch to the magazine containing the specialized rounds and begin engaging the target. It effectively gives each soldier the capability of a shotgun without the added burden of issuing and carrying a second weapon. Switching weapons also takes significantly more time and coordination than simply swapping magazines.

The Impact Of These Rounds On The New Russian Offensive

These new rounds are arriving in Ukraine at a critical time, as small drones are playing a central role in the Russian summer offensive aimed at breaking through entrenched Ukrainian defenses. The current Russian tactics rely on using small drones to locate and target these defensive positions ahead of a ground assault. While this role has traditionally been filled by artillery, drones are more economical, especially given the resource constraints currently facing Russian forces.

Although Ukrainian electronic warfare and air-defense systems will provide some protection, they are likely inadequate to cover the full length of the front. Russia is also deploying drones specifically designed to bypass existing Ukrainian counter-drone systems. These drones are often usable for only a few weeks before they become obsolete, but during that short window, they can be highly effective. Videos have shown that when Ukrainian soldiers identify an incoming drone, they typically try to seek cover since they know that they are unlikely to shoot down their drones with their conventional weapons.

These specialized rounds are likely to be highly useful for Ukrainian forces as they hold their positions against the new Russian assault. The rounds have already been codified under NATO standards, signaling Ukraine’s intent to begin large-scale production. They are expected to go directly to the front lines, giving soldiers an immediate tool to defend against Russian drones. If the drones are neutralized, Russian forces will have to revert to artillery strikes or attempt direct assaults on fortified positions. Artillery is less precise, more resource intensive, and reveals the location of the firing units, which can then be targeted by Ukrainian drones. Direct assaults without drone support are likely to result in high Russian casualties with minimal success.

Broader Impact Of These Counter-Drone Rifle Rounds

In the grander scheme, the fielding of these rounds has the potential to break the ongoing cat and mouse game between drone and counter-drone systems. They provide a kinetic method of defeating drones, offering an alternative to the more commonly used non-kinetic electronic warfare systems. Both Ukraine and Russia have relied heavily on electronic warfare to jam or disrupt drone operations by targeting communication and navigation signals. However, these systems are often temporary solutions. Ukrainian counter-drone capabilities tend to be effective only for a limited time before Russian forces adapt and find ways to bypass them. For example, Russia has recently deployed fiber-optic tethered drones, which are immune to electronic interference. By introducing a direct-fire solution, Ukraine is shifting the balance, as it will be far more difficult for Russia to develop small drones that can evade or survive these counter-drone rounds.

The most likely method for Russia to protect its drones from these counter-drone rounds is to avoid detection, since armoring small drones is not realistic. The soldier must detect the drone with enough time to switch magazines, aim, and fire their weapon. This sequence of actions can be quite fast, since training builds it into every soldier’s muscle memory. Success still depends on the soldier's ability to pick up the drone's acoustic and visual signatures, which are difficult to conceal. Videos released by both sides show soldiers spotting drones and running before being chased down and killed, demonstrating that these drones are often detected in time for a response. These signatures become more pronounced as drones are made to fly faster or carry heavier payloads.

When the war first started, large drones like the TB2 Bayraktar were used to destroy armored vehicles. As the war has progressed and both sides have adopted new tactics and technologies, small FPV drones are now targeting small groups of dismounted troops. These new counter-drone rifle rounds have the potential to push both sides to further evolve their tactics, particularly in how they use drones. In the meantime, these rounds are likely to create significant challenges for the Russian offensive.