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Russia May Use Concealed Drone Repeaters in Ukraine
Confirmed
In Short: A weapons expert has warned that Russia may be using concealed signal repeaters in Ukrainian cities to help its long-range drones evade air defenses and strike with greater precision, according to Fox News Digital.
A weapons expert has warned that Russia may be using concealed signal repeaters in Ukrainian cities to help its long-range drones evade air defenses and strike with greater precision, according to Fox News Digital.
Draganfly CEO and co-founder Cameron Chell told Fox News that these small ground devices, or repeaters, form part of an expanding 'mesh' network that allows Russian drones to relay encrypted signals across multiple connections, making them harder to disrupt.
Chell explained that the size of these repeaters is roughly that of a large lunchbox, making them easy to conceal and hard to detect electronically.
Tracking data reportedly showed no relay drones airborne during recent strikes, fueling concerns that hidden ground-based repeaters may have been used to maintain communications with the attacking drone.
According to Serhii 'Flash' Beskrestnov, an adviser on the development of technological areas of defense, Russian Mesh repeaters may be operating in Kyiv, providing Shahed drones with a short-term communication channel for adjusting strikes against targets.
Beskrestnov noted that such repeaters are difficult to find but emphasized the need to search for them.
Chell also warned that Russia has come to the realization that innovation is key to winning the war, and is now becoming the innovative leader in this conflict.
He added that the use of mesh networking is making it increasingly hard for Ukraine to bring down Russian drones effectively.
Chell further stated that moving one or two of these repeaters into a city the size of Kyiv can be hugely effective, exponentially increasing the efficiency and resilience of the network.
Zelenskyy called on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to dismantle the repeaters in June, highlighting the threat they pose.
While the exact locations and operational details of these repeaters remain unclear, the consensus among experts is that they significantly enhance the effectiveness of Russian drone operations.
What this adds
The exact locations and operational details of these repeaters remain unclear, and no other 'secret' communication systems have been identified in the wreckage of downed drones.
Background
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Russia may have shared jet-drone technology with North Korea.
What's confirmed
- Russia may be concealing signal repeaters inside Ukrainian cities to help its long-range drones evade air defenses and strike with greater precision, a weapons expert told Fox News Digital.
- The Kyiv Post first reported the possible use of the small ground devices, or repeaters, which Draganfly CEO and co-founder Cameron Chell said form part of an expanding "mesh" network that allows Russian drones to relay encrypted signals across multiple connections, making drones and drone swarms far harder for Ukraine to disrupt and bring down through standard electronic jamming. Chell’s warning also came amid escalating diplomatic notices for the region, with Moscow urging foreign nationals and embassy staff to leave the capital Kyiv immediately on Oct. 3, highlighting "mortal danger" as Russian forces threatened further "massive retaliatory strikes."
- Mesh networks, Chell explained, allow drones and strategically placed ground-based repeaters to relay encrypted signals across multiple connections, making many Russian drone flights harder to disrupt.
- "The size of these repeaters is really about the size of a large lunchbox. They're very easy to conceal, and they don't have to be turned on all the time, so they're hard to detect electronically," Chell said.
- Tracking data reportedly showed no relay drones airborne during the strike, fueling concerns that hidden ground-based repeaters may have been used to maintain communications with the attacking drone.
- "Russia has come to the realization that innovation is going to have to win this war, to the point now where they are becoming the innovative leader in this war — not just in terms of tactics, strategy, and technology, but the entire mindset is shifting," Chell said.
- "The enemy is using high-quality materials in its UAVs and increasing camera resolution, allowing the enemy to view the situation on the ground in detail and use these UAVs for various targets. And the use of mesh networks is indeed present. Of course, this is quite dangerous," Ihnat said, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
- "They are using the principles of mesh networking to combat the counter-drone measures taken by Ukraine to ensure that drones can't get through or that those Russian communication links are broken," Chell said.
- "If Russia had multiple nodes that could communicate with a device and could use the device to communicate with other devices swarming the area, Ukraine would be faced with multiple, maybe even hundreds of connections to have to break simultaneously in order to bring that drone down," he said.
- "They will be doing everything they can to move as many of these things not just into Kyiv, but at any location in the country, even operational battlefields," Chell said.
- "It is obvious that the Russians are not preparing to stop the war – at least not at the moment," Zelenskyy said.
- "Next year Russia plans to spend US$12 billion just on producing jet-powered drones and loitering munitions. And that's only one category of weapons. Of course, this doesn't only relate to Ukraine," he added, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
What's still developing
- According to "Flash", the ability to control Shaheds online poses a threat not only to bridges but also to air defense systems. He also explained that to accurately hit a specific bridge support or cable, a stable drone control channel is needed right up to the moment of impact. Beskrestnov added that the Ukrainian side is carefully examining the wreckage of downed drones. According to him, no other "secret" communication systems that could explain the drones’ operation have been identified so far.
- On September 29, the State Border Guard Service said that Belarus periodically activates repeaters to boost the signal of Russian drones during attacks on Ukraine.
- Beskrestnov also drew attention to photos circulating in the Russian information space showing Ukrainian air defense systems deployed on bridges in the capital.
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- Writing on Facebook, Beskrestnov, a communications specialist known by the callsign “Flash,” explained that clandestine signal repeaters situated within the capital could create temporary communication links enabling Russian operators to actively pilot loitering munitions onto high-value targets.
- "Flash" stressed that as long as such devices are operating, it will be difficult to completely shield Kyiv with electronic warfare systems.