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By RFE/RL staff – Jan 10, 2025, 2:00 PM CST
- Russia is using fiber-optic drones to gain an advantage in the Ukraine war.
- These drones are harder to detect and jam than traditional drones.
- Ukrainian forces are adapting their tactics to counter this new threat.
As Russian forces have intensified their advances in eastern Ukraine in recent weeks, they’re being helped by a new tool on the battlefield: drones that fly with the use of fiber-optic cables.
“The use of fiber-optic FPV drones definitely creates new challenges on the battlefield,” said a border guard with the Pomsta Brigade who goes by the call sign “Phoenix.” RFE/RL agreed to identify him and other soldiers by their call signs or first names for this story, according to rules set by the Ukrainian military.
Unlike standard FPV (first-person view) drones — the term used for drones piloted through a video feed wirelessly transmitted to a pilot’s headset, mobile device, or other displays — the use of fiber-optic cables allows drones to operate without radio signals. This makes them less vulnerable to electronic jamming as they stay directly connected to their operators through up to 15 kilometers of thin coils of fiber-optic cable that resembles a fishing line.
While Ukrainian forces are grappling with declining Western arms support and Russia’s manpower advantage, the modified drones represent a shift in battlefield tactics in Ukraine. Both Kyiv and Moscow are ramping up fighting as they enter a pivotal stage of the war ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump — who has vowed to quickly end the war — returning to office on January 20.
The new drones have reportedly been in use since the summer, but Ukrainian soldiers stationed across the country tell RFE/RL they are becoming a staple of Moscow’s battlefield strategy as it pushes for more territory in Ukraine’s east.
‘A Very Dangerous Weapon’
Many said that, in addition to being used for reconnaissance, they are being increasingly used by Russian troops as self-destructing drones with a small payload attached to target Ukrainian positions and vehicles.
“This is a very dangerous weapon. It’s like a brick with a propeller flying at you, and there is little you can do about it,” said “Varan,” an officer in the 148th Artillery Brigade.
Faced with changing tactics, soldiers say they’ve been forced to adapt quickly — with mixed results.
Kostyantyn, a commander of the battalion of the National Guard’s Bureviy Brigade, says the ineffectiveness of electronic jamming against the new drones allows them to push farther into Ukrainian lines and fly or reach targets with more accuracy compared to traditional FPV drones.