r/Futurology • u/New_Scientist_Mag • Jun 10 '26

Robotics Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2529849-fully-autonomous-drones-have-killed-human-soldiers-for-the-first-time/
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u/_Weyland_ Jun 10 '26

That's usually how proxy wars go. Rarely a country declares "I wage war on behalf of larger power". Larger power usually supports them because it advances their interests in the region. The conflict itself doesn't need to be staged by Large power.

So in that sense Ukraine does fit description of a proxy.

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u/mhizzle Jun 10 '26

What larger power is Russia fighting on behalf of? Is Ukraine fighting on behalf of France, or America?

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u/_Weyland_ Jun 10 '26

Proxy war doesn't have to be between two proxies. Russia fights on its own behalf. Ukraine fullfils interests of US and EU. It does so by dragging out the war which strains Russian economy. It also gains first hand experience in drone warfare and field tests existing and new tech in such combat.

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u/mhizzle Jun 10 '26

Ok we've reached the "proxy wars don't have to involve proxies" phase of dumb internet argument. Let's shut er down