How Ukrainian Electronic Warfare Helped Break Through Russian Forces in Kursk

Electronic warfare has become a crucial battleground in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, shaping the course of military operations on both sides. Early in the conflict, Ukraine saw notable success, largely due to American-supplied electronic warfare (EW) equipment designed to disrupt Russian drone and communications systems. Ukrainian mechanized units capitalized on this advantage, facing little to no opposition as they penetrated up to 30 kilometers into Russian territory during their initial incursion. The rapid, blitzkrieg-style offensive allowed them to bypass Russia's thinly manned defense lines, including conscripts, Chechen units, and border guards. However, as the war has progressed, Russia has ramped up its own electronic warfare capabilities, leading to a high-stakes "cat-and-mouse" game between Ukrainian drone operators and Russian EW specialists. Ukraine has trained over 10,000 drone pilots, relying on large numbers of inexpensive drones costing around $1,000 each. Despite this, Russian EW systems have caused significant losses, disabling more than 2,000 Ukrainian drones each week by jamming their signals or scrambling their guidance systems. These drones are rendered useless, hovering until their batteries die and they crash. Russia’s increasing dominance in the electronic warfare domain can be attributed to years of investment in these technologies. Reports suggest that the Russians are deploying one major EW system every 10 kilometers along the frontline. The Shipovnik-Aero, a truck-mounted EW system with a 10-kilometer range, is particularly effective, able to take control of Ukrainian drones and transmit their operators' locations to Russian artillery. As the electronic warfare struggle intensifies, it is clear that this battle for technological superiority will play a pivotal role in the ongoing conflict.