This battlefield interwoven with World War I-style trenches and a burgeoning fleet of adapted commercial drones-is tied together by everyday internet technology. The same software used by players to synchronize video-game tactics now does so in a scenario with no pause nor reset button. This meshing of century-old tactics with state-of-the-art hobbyist tech, overlaid with the brutality of war, paints a harrowing portrait.
We saw it in the eyes and streaming video feeds of the brave Ukrainian units hosting us on a front line amid their former homes and businesses now serving as operations centers. Ground troops, with drones circling overhead, know they're constantly under the watchful eyes of pilots a few kilometers away. Those pilots know they are potentially in crosshairs watching back. This feeling of exposure and lethal voyeurism is everywhere in Ukraine.
This story is from the October 23, 2023 edition of Time.
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This story is from the October 23, 2023 edition of Time.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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