New Zealand Must Learn Drone Warfare From Ukraine, Ex-Minister Says

New Zealand should invite Ukrainian military specialists to train its armed forces in drone operations and absorb tactical lessons from the war against Russia, former New Zealand Defense Minister Ron Mark said in an interview with United24. Mark stated that the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has an “immense amount to learn” from Ukraine’s rapid battlefield innovation, arguing that formal technological, military, and intelligence cooperation with Kyiv directly serves Wellington’s national security interests.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “When Russia launched its full-scale war, New Zealand sent its soldiers halfway around the world to help train Ukrainians,” Mark said. “Today, it is time to flip the script and bring Ukrainian training advisors and assistants to upskill our forces in the art of drone warfare.” Mark, 72, who served as defense minister from 2017 to 2020, traveled to Kyiv on his sixth trip to Ukraine since the start of the 2022 full-scale invasion, operating as a private citizen to deliver humanitarian aid and conduct advocacy. Frontline experience Mark noted that direct observation of combat sectors across Ukraine highlighted how rapidly unmanned systems have altered traditional military concepts. While early stages of the conflict were characterized by conventional trench combat reminiscent of World War I, Mark explained that the rapid introduction and mass deployment of loitering munitions, first-person view (FPV) drones, and automated reconnaissance platforms have fundamentally changed operational dynamics. Other Topics of Interest Poland Joins European Coalition on Ballistic Missile Defense Poland will join a European coalition to counter ballistic missile threats alongside Ukraine and nine other European nations, Donald Tusk said. The former defense minister emphasized that Ukraine’s asymmetric successes extend into the maritime theater, pointing to how the Armed Forces of Ukraine neutralized major combatants of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet using uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and long-range missiles despite lacking a conventional naval surface fleet. Mark questioned whether Western nations should continue prioritizing conventional, capital-intensive defense assets when lower-cost autonomous systems have demonstrated decisive strategic utility. “We’re talking about replacing our frigates, but why do that when Ukraine has proven the Black Sea Fleet can be neutralized without a conventional navy?” Mark said. Russian espionage allegations Mark’s advocacy for deeper defense cooperation follows diplomatic tensions between Wellington and Moscow. In late July, New Zealand’s Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) cast doubt on claims made by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) that Wellington had recruited an espionage asset inside the Russian Federation. The FSB claimed it arrested a Russian citizen in the southeastern city of Khabarovsk who had proactively contacted the NZSIS and passed sensitive state data. The NZSIS responded by reiterating its longstanding policy of not commenting on operational matters, noting that Russian state media cannot be regarded as a reliable source of accurate reporting. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon similarly declined to comment, adhering to the convention governing intelligence matters. Foreign affairs analysts noted that New Zealand, an active member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance alongside the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia, has maintained extensive sanctions against Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with Russian allegations likely designed to discredit Wellington’s diplomatic and security alignment with Kyiv. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.