They have become one of the great protagonists of the Ukrainian war. And one of the consequences of its massive use is that it has become the weapon that currently causes the most casualties (dead, wounded and missing) on the front.
Official Ukrainian military data make it clear that they have experienced rapid development throughout these more than four years of armed conflict, since Casualties caused by drones have gone from less than 10% in 2022 to almost 80% in 2025.
The French media has prepared a report in which he has been able to speak with Dima, a Ukrainian soldier who had both legs amputated as a result of an attack with a Russian drone against the vehicle in which he was returning from a mission.
“On that day, I had just been deployed to Pokrovsk, in the Donbas. Our mission was simple: neutralize an enemy position and then return to the trench in our vehicle. On the way back, “I remember our colleagues shouting at us over the walkie-talkies to speed up, then the sudden buzz of a drone and, finally, the black hole.”Dima recalled.
The soldier He underwent 69 operations and three months of convalescence. Dima has always liked sports, so, to take care of his physical and mental health, has decided to go climbing twice a week at a gym in kyiv which is also attended by other Ukrainian combatants who have been injured in the war.
“Sport was everything to me. They called me Arnold Schwarzenegger”
“Before the war and my ‘accident’, sport was everything to me. I started lifting weights at 16; they called me Arnold Schwarzenegger”highlighted the soldier, who has a stuffed panda attached to his right prosthesis.
Regarding his adaptation to climbing using only his armsDima has expressed that “I get tired faster. The most difficult thing is to listen to your body and not try too hard.. Another important detail is that I need to better control how I distribute my weight. “I’m going to improve in that aspect this year.”
