Russian Troops Welcome Bad Weather—And Rush Past Ukraine's Drones.
Drones are an effective defense, but only when the weather is clear. Ukraine has too few infantry to fill in when its drones can’t see.
Ukraine has a drone edge, but fog can blunt that edge—by blinding the drones
Smart Russian commanders wait for foggy days to attack
Bad weather over Pokrovsk in recent days has allowed hundreds of Russians to advance
Ukraine has too few infantry to plug the drone gaps
The overcast and foggy weather that rolled in with the winter months is an opportunity for Russian forces—to rush infantry and vehicles across the drone-patrolled no-man’s-land and secure new positions in Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad and other contested settlements.
That’s because bad weather means poor visibility for drones—and drones are now the main means of defense for infantry-starved Ukrainian formations.
If the drones can see, the Russians struggle to advance. If the drones can’t see, the Russians advance quickly—and in large numbers.
This was dramatically evident this weekend. “During recent days, the Russians have intensified efforts to penetrate Pokrovsk on light equipment through the southern suburns,” the Ukrainian 7th Rapid Response Corps, which defends Pokrovsk and neighboring Myrnohrad, explained on social media on Tuesday.
“For this, the enemy used adverse weather conditions including thick fog,” the corps added. “This reduces opportunities for our aerial reconnaissance.”
Videos from Pokrovsk during the stretch of bad weather depict dozens of Russian troops motoring into the city on bikes and in compact cars and trucks. Yes, videos also depict some Ukrainian drone strikes on the intruding Russians—but too few and too slow to halt the Russian advance. “There are currently more than 300 Russians in the city,” the 7th Rapid Response Corps warned. “Their goal remains unchanged—to reach the northern borders of Pokrovsk with a further attempt to surround the agglomeration.”
The Russians were already creeping into Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad before the weekend fog, but much more slowly. Now with the advantageous weather, the Russian Center Group of Forces controls more of Pokrovsk than the 7th Rapid Response Corps does—and the fragments of two Ukrainian brigades still in Myrnohrad are nearly cut off from the main Ukrainian force to the north.
Read the rest at Euromaidan Press.
