After more than one and a half years of warfare, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to rage on, with numerous recent changes and advancements being made that could affect the course of the war. There have been multiple political developments in Europe, with numerous NATO countries choosing to stop allying themselves with Ukraine, the most notable of these currently being Slovakia. The technology being used in the war has also been rapidly advancing since both Ukraine and Russia have been using drones to attack certain regions and to collect various information. Although the course that this war is taking appears to be uncertain, with both countries facing significant losses, the recent political and technological developments can give people context on which nations are allied with each other and how new technology is currently contributing to combat.
On September 30th, 2023, Slovakia had its parliament election, in which Robert Fico, a leader known to be a close supporter of the Russian government, was elected. This is particularly unusual because Slovakia is a part of NATO, and it is essentially unheard of for a NATO country to have a pro-Russian leader. Upon being elected, Robert Fico has promised to veto Ukraine’s NATO application and is also planning to stop all support for Ukraine, which will likely have significant effects on the weapon supply of the war and the international relations between these countries. Upon being elected, Fico promised that he “will not send a single round of ammunition to Ukraine”, emphasizing how “people in Slovakia have bigger problems than Ukraine.” In addition to this, the relations between Ukraine and the countries of Poland and Hungary have also been declining, with Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia putting in place import bans on Ukrainian agricultural products. Because of these bans, Ukraine is now attempting to sue the three countries, filing a complaint to the World Trade Organization about the “unfriendly” actions of these nations. These new political developments can have numerous impacts on the course of the war and damage the EU’s union, since Europe’s views on the conflict are now far more divided. More and more nations, even those who are part of NATO, are choosing to distance themselves from Ukraine and no longer want to ally themselves with the country.
In addition to the political developments, there have also been numerous technological advancements that could affect the ongoing war. Both Ukraine and Russia have been utilizing drones in warfare, with Russia launching 36 Iranian-made drones on October 10th, damaging Ukrainian infrastructure. These drones are called kamikaze drones due to immediately exploding on impact and can cause lots of damage to the population of a region if used in an area with many people. Zelensky, the president of Ukraine explained how “Kamikaze drones and missiles are attacking all of Ukraine,” and has stated that “the enemy (Russia) terrorizes the civilian population”. However, Russia is not the only one using drones to fight their battles, with Ukraine operating naval drones as a way to strike Russian warships. Ukraine’s drones are not only being flown by the military, but also ordinary citizens who are attempting to assist in the war effort and show their support. With the help of the US, Ukraine has also been using AI to find and translate Russian communications, allowing Ukraine to understand when and where attacks will happen. The war between Russia and Ukraine has been called a “technology war”, “the world’s first AI war”, and “the first full scale drone war”, due to the large amount of technology being used instead of direct open combat.
To recap, Slovakia has elected a pro-Russian leader and the country is preparing to distance themselves from Ukraine and stop sending the nation weapons and support. Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary are also being sued by Ukraine for their refusal to accept Ukrainian products into their countries. The fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues to carry on, with technology such as drones being used by both sides. The US is assisting Ukraine with using AI to find Russian information, and as technology rapidly advances, the style of warfare continues to develop along with it. Both the recent political and technological changes can impact the course of the war, causing certain countries to have advantages over others and playing a significant role in the development of the conflict.
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