Ukraine's electronic warfare: turning the tide in Kursk region against Russian drones
Ukraine's large-scale offensive in the Kursk region has left Russia struggling, revealing major issues in countering Ukraine's movements. The primary obstacle for the Russian forces has been the potent "jammers" employed by the Ukrainian troops during their advance. Russian military aviation blogger, Fighterbomber, highlighted these challenges.
Fighterbomber confirmed that a critical element of Ukraine's offensive is an exceptionally powerful electronic warfare system (EWS). This EWS has not only blinded the Russian Federation's on-ground intelligence but also incapacitated their strike drone capabilities. "Due to the swift progress of the long-anticipated offensive, employing the UMPKs en masse in the Kursk region remains unfeasible. The 'ping' delay is substantial. All drones (except those using fiber optics) have crashed (turns out, it's possible), so spotting targets requires outdated methods, like binoculars," stated Fighterbomber.
The UMPKs, or guided multifunctional gliding complexes, are aerial munitions controlled over long distances through satellite communications or other guidance methods. The phrase "ping delay" refers to the lag in data transmission between the operator and the device. To operate UMPKs effectively, a fast and stable connection is necessary, which has been severely undermined by Ukraine's EWS.
In response to the situation, Fighterbomber has engaged in a heated exchange with other Z-channels, which claim everything's functioning well in the Kursk region with no issues. A profane exchange unfolded. "It only blew up with the drone producers and their minions. The money is at risk," retorted Fighterbomber to their critics.
On the morning of January 5, Ukraine's Forces initiated a massive offensive in the Kursk region, moving under the protection of EWS systems across several directions, including towards Kursk.
The Ukrainian command remains silent on the situation. Currently, almost all information flows in from Russian war channels, painting a contradictory picture. Kremlin-aligned propagandists claim the offensive is nearly suppressed, suggesting Ukrainian forces have been defeated. Meanwhile, more independent military correspondents report movements of Ukrainian forces and the capture of several settlements.