Key facts
- Russia is using small drones guided by fiber-optic cables to attack Ukrainian electrical substations.
- These drones are immune to electronic warfare and can bypass protective measures.
- The strikes target autotransformers, critical components of 330 kV and 110 kV substations.
- The Center for Information Resilience verified four strikes on large substations and at least four on smaller ones.
- The range of these drones extends up to 26 km from the frontline.
- The tactic is seen as part of a strategy to cause regional blackouts.
Russia has developed a new tactic to bypass Ukrainian defenses and damage high-voltage electricity substations by employing small drones guided via fiber-optic cables. These drones are immune to electronic warfare systems that typically disrupt drone communications. Open-source analysis, verified by the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) and Reuters, shows footage of these strikes, primarily targeting the Sumy region in northern Ukraine.
According to CIR investigator Joshua Scriven, the drones are used to create openings in protective netting around substations, allowing a second drone to penetrate and target critical equipment like autotransformers. These autotransformers, valued at approximately $3.5 million for a 330-kilovolt substation, are essential for the entire unit's operation. CIR has confirmed four strikes on large 330 kV substations and at least four on smaller 110 kV substations, with the larger ones located 16 to 26 km from the frontline, indicating the growing range of these small, inexpensive drones.
Oleksandr Kharchenko, head of the Energy Research Centre in Kyiv, stated that disabling an autotransformer effectively takes down the entire transformer unit. Scriven suggests this strategy is part of a broader Russian effort to isolate Ukrainian regions and induce blackouts by attacking local power stations. Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov acknowledged a worsening security situation in Sumy in June, attributing Russia's goal to terrorizing the population and making life in border regions unbearable. The International Criminal Court has previously issued arrest warrants for Russian commanders over strikes on Ukraine's power grid.