Russian forces secured marginal advances in three areas, while increasingly implementing signal-jamming-resistant drone technology in Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on 8 January.
In Kursk Oblast, Russian forces advanced into western Mykolaivka, northwest of Sudzha, and made marginal gains in Makhnovka to the southeast, as confirmed by geolocated footage, ISW says. Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) reported repelling a Russian reinforced platoon-sized mechanized assault in an unspecified area of the oblast.
In eastern Ukraine, Russian forces achieved marginal advances in northern and northwestern Toretsk, as evidenced by geolocated footage from 7 and 8 January. Additionally, footage from 7 January showed Russian forces advancing east of Dachne, west of Kurakhove.
Fiber-optic drones
A Ukrainian brigade spokesperson reported that Russian forces are increasingly deploying drones equipped with fiber optic cables, which provide resistance to electronic warfare interference. The spokesperson noted these drones are currently not in systematic use and have limitations, being slower and less maneuverable than FPV drones, making them vulnerable to small-arms fire.
Russian forces were first to successfully develop and integrate fiber-optic drones in Ukraine, while Ukraine has developed similar capabilities months later and reportedly is fielding such drones only now.
Related:
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- Russian forces capture three villages in eastern Ukraine, DeepState reports
- ISW: Ukrainian troops gain ground in Kursk Oblast and strike rear areas
- Ukrainian SOF eliminate 13 North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk Oblast
- Frontline report: Azov retakes positions as Russians use bathtub for supply runs near Toretsk
- ISW: Russia seizes 71% of strategic Toretsk after shifting to mass-unit tactics