Russian forces have initiated attacks on Kharkiv using FPV drones controlled via fiber-optic cables. The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have reached the city's northern outskirts, posing a novel threat to Ukrainian air defenses.
As reported by Hvylya, Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, an advisor to the Minister of Defense and a radio technology specialist, disclosed the development on Telegram.
Beskrestnov shared footage confirming the drones' penetration into the city, describing the situation as a tangible threat demanding an immediate technological response.
"The enemy's fiber-optic drone reached the northern outskirts of Kharkiv. These are real threats that we must address technologically," Beskrestnov emphasized.
The primary danger of these drones is their invisibility to traditional electronic intelligence (ELINT) systems, as they emit no radio control signals. While radar stations can be effective, they struggle to detect low-flying FPV drones. Beskrestnov suggested acoustic sensors as a potential countermeasure.
"Flash" later released a second video featuring Russian threats to continue such attacks on Kharkiv. He highlighted the technical complexity of the operation, noting the extreme difficulty of laying fiber-optic cable over such distances in an urban environment.
"It is interesting that they suddenly targeted Kharkiv with optics. They likely found a ground corridor for the cable. Unspooling 25 kilometers of 'fishing line' over densely populated terrain without it breaking during flight is no easy task," the expert noted.