New York, Oct. 31 (LaPresse) – The New York Times reports in a lengthy article that the Ukrainian government has set up a kind of points-based game among drone pilot teams in the war against Russia. “Ukraine Turns War Into a Game: 40 Points for Destroying a Tank, 12 for Killing a Russian Soldier,” reads the NYT headline, noting that “teams of drone pilots compete to climb a leaderboard that rewards units for successful strikes.”
According to Ukrainian officials, the competition helps maintain soldiers’ motivation. Wounding a Russian soldier is worth eight points, killing one is worth twelve. A Russian drone pilot is valued higher: 15 points for wounding one and 25 for killing him. Capturing a Russian soldier alive with the help of a drone is the jackpot — 120 points. “It’s a brutal game: human lives turned into points,” said Stun, 33, a drone commander from Ukraine’s unmanned systems regiment known as Achilles, speaking to the NYT.
The Ukrainian government introduced the competition in August 2024. Teams compete to earn points that can be exchanged for Ukrainian-made equipment, including basic surveillance drones and larger drones carrying powerful explosives, through an internal, Amazon-style weapons marketplace called Brave1 Market. The online store was launched in April of this year and expanded in August.
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