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"This innovation constitutes the coming danger," cautions Serhiy Beskrestnov, that recently acquired a newly intercepted Russian drone.

It was no ordinary drone either, it was revealed. Assisted by artificial intelligence, the unmanned aerial vehicle is able to find and attack targets on its own.

Beskrestnov has inspected numerous unmanned systems in his capacity as Ukrainian defence forces consultant.

Unlike other models, the drone didn't send or receive any signals, so could not be jammed.

Russian and Ukrainian militaries have both been testing AI in the conflict, and in some areas they are already deploying it, to assist in finding targets, gathering intelligence and de-mining.

And for the nation's military, AI has become indispensable.

"The military receives more than 50,000 video streams [from the battlefield] monthly which are analysed by artificial intelligence," states the deputy defence minister.

"It helps them rapidly handle this massive data, pinpoint objectives and place them on a digital chart."

AI-Driven Technology as a Strategic Tool

AI-enhanced technology is seen as a tool that can enhance military strategy, make the most of assets and ultimately protect personnel.

However when it comes to unmanned weapons systems, it is also transforming the battlefield.

The country's soldiers currently employ AI-powered systems enabling drones fix on a objective and subsequently operate independently for the last few hundred metres till the mission concludes.

Jamming is impossible and destroying such a small flying object is not easy.

Ultimately such technologies are expected to evolve into completely independent weapons that can find and eliminate targets on their own.

All a soldier will need to do is tap a icon on a smartphone app, notes Yaroslav Azhnyuk, chief executive of Ukrainian developer.

It handles everything else, according to him, locating the objective, dropping munitions, evaluating the damage and afterwards returning to headquarters.

"It doesn't demand flight experience from the soldier," he adds.

Defensive Systems and Future Advancements

Interceptor drones with that kind of autonomous capability could greatly enhance air defences against Russian remote strike aircraft, such as the notorious Shaheds.

"A computer-guided autonomous system can be better than a human in numerous aspects," explains the executive. "It is more perceptive. It detects the target sooner than a person. It can be quicker."

The deputy defence minister says that kind of technology is not yet available, but he suggests the country is nearing completing its creation. "We have partly implemented it in some devices," says the deputy defence minister.

There could even be thousands of these technologies in place by the year 2026, predicts the developer.

Cautions and Risks of Total Autonomy

However Local creators are wary of fully making use of military technologies that rely entirely on AI, with no operator input. The risk is AI may fail to distinguish a Ukrainian soldier from a Russian combatant, as they may be wearing the same uniform, says Vadym, who asked to remain anonymous.

The firm produces remotely controlled machine guns, that use AI to autonomously identify individuals and track them. Due to concerns over accidental attacks, he says they avoid including an automatic shooting feature.

"We can enable it, but we must gain further expertise and additional input from the military units in order to understand the safe conditions to employ this capability."

Ethical Issues and International Rules

There are also fears that automated systems will violate the rules of war. How will they prevent injuring non-combatants, or distinguish soldiers who wish to yield?

According to the official, the ultimate choice in these cases must be made by a person, even if AI could make it "easier to decide". But there are no guarantees that states or armed groups will follow international humanitarian norms.

Therefore neutralizing these systems is increasingly critical.

How do you halt a "swarm of drones" when electronic warfare or using aircraft, tanks or rockets proves useless?

The nation's very effective "Web" operation, when 100 drones targeted Russian military airports last June, is believed to be assisted by AI tools.

Many in Ukraine fear that Moscow will copy this approach, not only on the battlefront but beyond it too.

The country's president cautioned the UN recently that AI was contributing to "the most destructive weapons competition in human history."

He urged international regulations for the application of AI in weapons, and stated the matter is "just as urgent as stopping the proliferation of atomic arms."