Ukraine planned unprecedented AI drone swarm operation against Moscow airports - Atlantic
Ukraine considered launching large swarms of autonomous AI-guided drones at Moscow airports in an attempt to disrupt international air travel, isolate Russian elites and pressure Russian leader Vladimir Putin into negotiations, The Atlantic reported, citing two people with direct knowledge of the planr.
The operation, code-named “M&Ms,” reportedly envisioned launching up to 1,000 small, inexpensive drones toward Moscow airports each night.
Unlike Ukraine’s regular long-range strikes on Russian military bases, oil refineries, logistics hubs and supply lines, the proposed operation would have relied on swarms of autonomous drones equipped with AI guidance systems.
The drones would seek out and strike their targets without human pilots controlling their movements, according to The Atlantic.
The magazine described the proposed operation as a potential milestone in warfare. Similar autonomous systems have been tested by several countries, including the United States, but have never been deployed at such a scale. Their use has also raised legal questions over compliance with the laws of war.
According to The Atlantic, the aim was to make repeated disruptions severe enough for international airlines to stop flying to and from Moscow, further isolating Russia’s political and business elite and increasing pressure on Putin to negotiate a truce.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly had “serious reservations” when the proposal was presented to him but allowed technical preparations for the operation to proceed during the spring and early summer.
Preparations were later put on hold following the departure of then-Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, according to the report.
The Atlantic based its report on two sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing sensitive military operations.