The little black box perched on the dashboard of the army truck acts as a protective charm, alerting the soldiers inside to the presence of Russian drones above. As we speed along a dark country road near the front lines outside Kharkiv, the soldiers have come to rely on the box they affectionately call “sugar” for its warnings of unseen dangers.
Mounted on the vehicle’s roof are three mushroom-shaped antennas that make up drone-jamming equipment, creating an invisible shield against some of the attack drones patroling the skies. However, the Lancet Russian drones pose a challenge as they are difficult to block due to their autonomy once a target is marked.
Senior Lt Yevhenii, seated in the front passenger seat, alerts the team to the presence of Zala Lancet Russian drones, prompting a need for speed to avoid danger. The jamming equipment, while effective against most frequencies, is not foolproof against all drones. The soldiers from the Khartia Brigade of Ukraine’s National Guard are constantly adapting to the evolving battlefield.
Drones have become a central component of the war, with both sides utilizing them alongside infantry and artillery. The shift to drone warfare has brought a new level of precision and danger to the conflict, with civilians also becoming targets of drone attacks.
The Ukrainian army fights back with its own drones, with numerous units deployed along the front line. One soldier boasts of killing 100 Russians daily with their drones, showcasing the lethal impact of this technology on the battlefield.
In a harrowing tour of a drone unit’s operations, we witness the operators using modified off-the-shelf drones to target Russian forces with precision strikes. The operators show a clinical approach to their missions, staying focused on their targets even as the danger of glide bombs looms overhead.
The Russians hold the advantage in drone numbers, but the Ukrainians believe they have the technological edge and agility to counter and jam Russian drones effectively. The frontline trenches are a nerve-wracking place, with soldiers constantly on edge as drones hover overhead, searching for targets.
As the conflict escalates, both sides continue to innovate and adapt in the ever-evolving landscape of modern warfare. The use of drones has changed the nature of combat, with soldiers now facing the threat of precision strikes from above as they navigate the dangerous terrain near the front lines.