That's the title and subtitle of a Washington Post article today; here are a couple of excerpts:
The attack drone spots the Russian soldier in a field in eastern Ukraine and swoops in. Only when it's nearly upon him does he see it. The onboard camera, sending video back to the remote pilot in real time, captures his panic. He throws his hands above his head and begins to run. The video cuts out.
Then a second video, shot from a surveillance drone: The soldier's body lies in the field, motionless. The drone zooms in to show his apparently lifeless face….
[T]hese videos … were submitted to the Ukrainian government as entries in a competition among frontline drone pilots, with points and prizes for high scorers—a literal first-person shooter in the increasing video gamification of war…. Units earn points for each Russian soldier they incapacitate or kill and each weapon, vehicle or piece of military equipment they destroy. Points may be redeemed in an online government marketplace for more drones, with which to target more Russian forces.
It's an interesting story, and I have no reason to doubt its factual accuracy. But it struck me as oddly lacking in historical context. I'm no military historian, but let me lay out my thinking; I'd love to hear what more knowledgeable readers have to say about it.
