Reuters: Russia uses fiber-optic drones to bypass Ukrainian air defense

Russian military forces have found a way to circumvent Ukraine's expensive system for protecting energy infrastructure. According to Reuters, small FPV drones controlled via fiber optic cables are being used to strike high-voltage substations in the Sumy region. These drones are impervious to electronic warfare systems and are capable of penetrating even the most heavily defended facilities.

"Russia is using small, fiber-optic controlled drones to bypass Ukrainian defenses and damage high-voltage substations in the frontline Sumy region," Reuters reports.

Ukrainian authorities have attempted to protect energy facilities with concrete bunkers and anti-drone nets. However, Russian operators have found ways to overcome these obstacles.

"Russian military forces first breach the protective net with one drone, and then send a second drone through the resulting opening," explains independent journalist Joshua Schriven.

Since the beginning of May, Russian drones have been carrying out targeted strikes on auto-transformers, the most vulnerable component of substations. One such transformer costs approximately $3.5 million.

"Taking out an auto-transformer worth $3.5 million disables the entire transformer block," says Alexander Kharchenko, head of the Kyiv Center for Energy Research.

The Center for Information Resilience (CIR) has confirmed four such strikes on major 330 kV substations and at least four on less protected 110 kV facilities. The distance from the front line reaches up to 26 kilometers, demonstrating the increasing range of fiber-optic drones.

"The cost of a single fiber-optic FPV drone can be as low as $2,000. The cost-effectiveness is remarkable," notes Schriven.

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