“Army of drones. Bonus”: what is behind the “e-points” system and why Konstantin Korsun considers it a dangerous fiction

During the Defense Tech Era conference, timed to the second anniversary of the creation of the Brave1 defense cluster, the Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov presented updated bonus program for the Ukrainian military – “Drone Army. Bonus”. As he explained, this is the official name of the electronic incentive system, known among the military and the public as “e-balls”. Its essence is that units of the Armed Forces receive digital points for the confirmed destruction of enemy equipment or manpower, and then can exchange them for new drones and technical equipment on the Brave1 marketplace.

“In short: destroy targets, earn points, get drones. 20 points are awarded for destroying a tank, 40 for destroying it. 6 points for eliminating infantry, and up to 50 points for destroying an anti-aircraft missile system, depending on the caliber,” Fedorov said.

In order to earn those points, the military must upload the confirmation video to Delta’s situational awareness system, where the data is verified, he said. After that, the unit enters the monthly ranking and gets the opportunity to spend the accumulated “e-points” on the Brave1 Market.

As the minister explained, the system already covers about 90% of the unmanned units of the Armed Forces. Within the framework of the program, a general rating and separate indicators are formed by the types of affected targets. Digital points can be exchanged for a wide range of equipment, from FPV drones (from 2 to 6 points) to heavy reusable “bombers” like the Vampire (43 points). According to Fedorov, the Brave1 team even created a separate “mathematics of war” unit within the cluster, which analyzes this data and draws conclusions about the effectiveness of combat operations.

The “Army of Drones. Bonus” system, which the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine officially presented as a bonus program for the military, is raising more and more questions not only in society, but also among specialists who have worked in the field of cyber security and information protection for years. One of them is Kostyantyn Korsun, former deputy head of the cybercrime department of the SBU, founder of CERT-UA and a specialist with many years of experience. He is tough criticized the very idea of ​​the system, the principle of its implementation and the possible risks it carries.

As Korsun pointed out, despite the fact that the system seems completely “game-like” – they say, you destroy targets, earn points, get drones – the essence of the initiative does not look like taking care of the army, but a marketing imitation of aid created with the aim of media effect. In his opinion, instead of providing the army with everything they need, they are offered a kind of loyalty program, in which in order to get a drone, you need to register, upload a video, wait for verification, get into the rating, and only then – maybe – get the equipment.

The expert explained that formally, this system provides for the calculation of digital points for successful hits on the enemy’s equipment and personnel: 20 points for destroying a tank, 40 for its complete destruction, up to 50 for an MSW and 6 points for a liquidated infantryman. Confirmed hit videos must be uploaded to Delta’s military situational awareness system, then reviewed before points are credited to the unit’s account. In the final, fighters can use them on the Brave1 Market to purchase new weapons.

“On the one hand, it seems like nothing bad. But on the other hand, why not just give the army drones as needed? Rather than fence off all this marketing bullshit in the style of classically disgusting SMM?
For the sake of “attracting new customers”? For whom? For what? What’s going on?

Military types who protect the country and risk their lives and health every day in order to continue to do so – must register somewhere, prove their results, receive some E-points and as a reward it is possible (!) to receive new means of protection. I will protect those who came up with this ferocious child in cozy Kyiv co-working spaces. Well, defenders should not prove the need to provide them with means of protection. Some sick fantasy of the author of the initiative.” – the expert is indignant.

But it is this chain that arouses suspicion in Kostyantyn Korsun. He draws attention to the strange role of the Ministry of Digital, which, despite its purely civilian status, gets full access to the Delta military system, which stores sensitive data and video footage from the front. The expert emphasizes: if the ministry, which is not part of the security and defense sector, operates with this information, it is a direct path to the leakage of data that can reach the enemy.

“And one more important point. It turns out that the completely civilian Ministry of Digital Transformers has full access to the supposedly closed military system of Delta. Otherwise, how will they count the e-points if they do not see the video confirmation and “verify” them? After all, Fedorov personally calls for uploading video confirmation of injuries to Delta. And then we wonder “where does the enemy get the most recent data?!”, – emphasized the cyber security expert.

According to Kostyantyn Korsun, this initiative resembles a belated attempt to retain influence in the field of drones, from which the Ministry of Digital Affairs was actually removed earlier. “Creative Misha”, as the expert ironically calls Fedorova, returns to his style – marketing campaigns, hype formats, visual slogans and gamification. But real war is no place for a show. And not a platform for digital experiments. He expresses deep indignation at the fact that the military, who risk their lives every day, are not offered a direct supply of weapons, but participation in a “game” with registration, conditions, ratings and imaginary rewards. According to him, the military should not prove that they need drones. You just have to give them to them. No requests, no points, no PR campaigns. Simple and immediate.

Korsun does not hold back his disappointment and believes that in a situation where the country is still fighting for survival, when every day and every kilometer of the front is paid for by human life, the Ministry of Digital Transformation is engaged in digital loyalty marketing in the style of “buy more – get a bonus” instead of real help. And at the same time, it brings combat units into its data infrastructure, which is not only pointless, but also dangerous.

“Creative Misha, with our and donor funds, is returning to what he started with – to his marketing scams. In which pre-election technologies are clearly visible – drawing the maximum number of military personnel into his networks with his e-balls.

In order for the army to carry out its work in a high-quality manner, it is necessary to simply give it everything that it asks for.
Immediately and without any conditions such as “and you ask properly” or “register first”. Just … give drones. Everything!

But it seems that promising food to the military is all that some minister is capable of. Especially after the fat subject of UAV procurement was taken away from him.” – summarized the expert.