Russia is sacrificing its internet just to deploy electronic warfare systems to counter Ukraine's drone attacks. This latest information came from Russian telecommunications sources.
They said that the internet is being compromised because electronic warfare units operate on the same frequency as wireless broadband.
Recently, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that it is still unclear what the exact effects of these warfare devices are on the internet.
However, Russia is still deactivating its internet services to test and deploy its electronic warfare systems.
Russia's Internet Suffers as It Deploys Electronic Warfare Systems
Russian media claimed that Russia is already deploying its electronic warfare units to counter drones launched by Ukrainian troops. However, it needs to sacrifice its internet just to do so.
People familiar with the matter said that the Russian government ordered 4G networks to turn off their services at night. This order states that broadband service providers should deactivate their services between Jan. 25 and Jan. 30.
Affected areas include Novgorod, Leningrad, and Pskov in northwestern Russia. Russian officials said that this should be done so that anti-drone units can be deployed.
According to Business Insider, Russia's order came after Ukrainian troops struck targets hundreds of miles from the border in north Russia, thanks to Ukraine's advanced long-range drones.
These include the latest Jan. 21 attack against a gas terminal in St. Petersburg, which is the second-largest city in Russia. On Jan. 28, Ukraine was also able to strike an oil terminal near the said city.
Russia More Dominant in Electronic Warfare
Financial Times reported that Russia has the upper hand against Ukraine when it comes to electronic warfare technology. This was seen in December 2023 after Kyiv struggled to jam and divert the Kremlin's guided missiles and drones.
Ever since Russia launched its full-blown invasion, Ukraine and the invader have been investing heavily in devices and systems that can neutralize each other's drone attacks.
Although military experts claimed that Ukraine is able to keep up with Russia, the Kremlin is still more dominant in electronic warfare.
"The Russians have been producing so many lately that it's becoming a huge threat," said the chief of EW and cyber warfare at Ukraine's general staff, Col. Ivan Pavlenko.
"What's happening here, the massive use of drones, is new... So EW becomes increasingly important," he added.
