BLUF: Ukraine’s long-range drone attacks have been stymied by shutdowns of the mobile networks they need to transmit data or video streams to drone operators. That makes things harder for the Ukrainian military—but not impossible.
The Verkhovna Rada has approved the Defence City initiative in its second reading, paving the way for the creation of a special legal regime that will be a boon for defense manufacturers.
Russia has started attacking Ukraine with LTE-controlled drones made up primarily of Chinese-made components, according to Ukrainian military intelligence.
HIMERA, a manufacturer of electronic warfare-resistant communications systems, is struggling to get a state contract due to murky regulations.
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THE BIG STORY: Russia's data network strategy to counter Ukraine’s drones
Since deep-strike operations require drones to fly hundreds of kilometers, Russian LTE networks are often relied upon for navigation.
This move also significantly simplifies reconnaissance for Ukraine, according to an expert in electronic warfare and communications. He spoke with us on the condition of anonymity.
Lutyi kamikaze drone. Photo by the Come Back Alive charity fund.
This enhances intelligence gathering on Russian defense systems and vulnerabilities during long-range strikes. Ukrainian operators are able to assess where Russian air defense systems are likely to be located by transmitting altitude, speed, and coordinates during flight.
That is perhaps why Russia has been resorting to drastic measures and practicing network shutdowns for the past few months.
On May 9th, for example, internet access was restricted in 40 regions, or 60 percent of the entire country. Roskomnadzor, Russia’s telecommunications regulator, said the decision stemmed from the threat of Ukrainian drones.
Numerous online government services, taxis, delivery services, and other platforms stopped working in the Russian capital during those blackouts.
Mobile communications operate through two different channels – one for calls and one for data transmission. The data channel is the one targeted during Ukraine’s drone attacks.
Russian mobile operators route traffic through ground connection stations, where the System for Operative Investigative Activities (SORM) and Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) are installed.
SORM is a Russian program used by its Federal Security Service to monitor calls, internet traffic, and other user data.
DPI, an advanced data processing method for examining network traffic, works on a similar principle: It can disconnect communications based on geographic location, requiring no operator involvement.
In other words, the system is set up in such a way that everything can be done remotely by Russia’s intelligence services.
Right now, local administrations make the call on whether or not to cut communications during air raid alerts, but Moscow has moved to seize full control of the process. Russia’s Digital Development Ministry is in talks with telecommunications operators to establish a single state body responsible for managing mobile network blackouts.
The Digital Development Ministry has also drafted requirements for satellite communication operators to install equipment to track traffic through 5G devices and monitor any foreign networks that connect to them. This means every base station must have SORM and DPI. The requirements could take effect as early as March 2026.
Mobile internet outages in Russia. Photo by The Moscow Times
How network control affects Ukrainian attacks
By controlling the mobile network, Russians are able to strip a Ukrainian drone of several of its advantages–first and foremost, sending its position to the Ukrainian operator at the control point.
This information is what previously allowed Ukrainians a better understanding of where Russian air defenses were likely located.
This also means Ukrainian long-range drone manufacturers will need to seek alternatives and combine different types of communications in their drones, so that if one is lost, there's a backup. Drones like this already exist, but their production is more costly.
Ukrainian manufacturers will now have to use alternatives, such as:
Transitioning to autonomous drones that won't need network access;
Creating their own satellite network that would allow them to not only receive communications but transmit them as well.
Using Starlink terminals is not an option because that satellite network doesn't cover Russia and the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.
Another alternative could be the Ukrainian analog of Russia’s Kometa, a Global Navigation Satellite System module that would provide resistance to electronic warfare and satellite communication through multiple signal sources.
Map of Starlink coverage. Screenshot taken from the Starlink website
Each alternative has its drawbacks, however. Transitioning to fully autonomous drones requires a great deal of time and financial investment, and creating a satellite network is an even more ambitious goal. While Ukraine's Defense Ministry has officially announced the creation of a Space Policy Department, satellite launches aren't an immediate prospect.
"Communication with the drone is important for the ability to change flight missions during mission execution. Organizing a communication channel over great depth, especially with sufficient bandwidth for transmitting video, for example, is a very complex task," said the communications expert.
How mobile networks operate in Ukraine
Unlike Russia, Ukraine doesn't have total control over telecommunications operators. There are no restrictions on mobile network usage during attacks.
The issue was raised in parliament over the summer, with a working group created within the national security committee to examine what can be done about Russia using Ukrainian mobile networks during drone attacks. That working group is expected to make recommendations on the matter.
Modem from the Russian Shahed drone. Photo by Serhii Flash
“Hundreds, if not thousands, of Ukrainian SIM cards have been found in the wreckage of Russian drones,” Serhii 'Flash' Bezkrestnov, an expert in electronic warfare and communications, said in an interview.
However, no decision has been made so far on what can be done to solve this problem. Meanwhile, Russians are increasingly using drones controlled via mobile networks to unleash attacks.
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BUSINESS LUNCH TOPICS: What our reporting shows!
Lawmakers approved establishment of Defence City in the second reading
Lawmakers have passed bills №13420 and №13421 to amend tax and customs legislation in order to launch Defence City, a special economic zone for defense manufacturers.
The move officially gives the greenlight to the creation of Defence City, which will operate for 10 years, or until EU accession.
Previously, manufacturers could not be members of both Defence City and Diia.City, a special economic zone from the Digital Transformation Ministry. In the final version, producers can be members of both economic zones.
However, Diia.City participants will have to give up benefits on income tax and unified social contribution if they want to also join Defence City, MP Danylo Hetmantsev, one of the bill's initiators, told Counteroffensive.Pro.
At the same time, not all recommendations from defense associations were taken into account in the final version of the laws, said Serhii Honcharov, executive director of NAUDI, a defense association with over 100 companies.
NAUDI had issued a statement calling on MPs not to adopt the bill without refining some of its requirements for manufacturers.
"In its current form, the law will only protect certain enterprises, while others will remain in an unequal position, will not receive information protection in registries, will not have tax benefits, will not be able to take advantage of relocation benefits, and will remain under missile strikes without proper support," Honcharov said.
Defence City has numerous requirements, including:
being a part of the Defence City registry under the MoD;
having at least 75 percent of income that comes from fulfilling defense orders (or at least 50 percent for aircraft manufacturing);
no debts either to the state or to military personnel for whom contracts were executed;
the facility should be located within areas designated by the MoD;
the enterprise cannot be registered abroad;
not having non-profit status.
Read our detailed analysis of Defence City here.
Russian Innovation Tracker: Using LTE-controlled drones to attack Ukraine
Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) has published data about a new Russian drone controlled via LTE communications or mobile networks.
It resembles a Shahed kamikaze drone but is smaller in size and can perform various functions: reconnaissance, kamikaze attacks, or serving as a decoy target to overload Ukraine’s air defense. Nearly half of its components are said to be of Chinese origin.
Russian drone without a name. Photo by HUR
When used to strike, the drone can be guided by an operator to a target, just like an FPV drone, according to HUR. This also means that when controlling the drone in real-time, the operator can hit moving targets, Andrii, CTO at StratForce Solutions, told Counteroffensive.Pro. For now, Ukrainian military intelligence is not disclosing information on the drone’s range.
Russians can use Ukrainian SIM cards to operate the drone; these are typically taken as trophies from the battlefield or occupied stores of Kyivstar, Vodafone, or Lifecell mobile operators. SIM cards can also be bought through illegal markets.
To counter this, Ukrainian mobile phone operators should monitor network traffic during air raid alerts, Andrii said. Additionally, extra electronic warfare systems that jam mobile communication frequencies can be deployed around critical infrastructure, he said.
An uphill battle for defense manufacturers trying to get on the General Staff list
Defense manufacturers say getting on the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff's list of needs for state-level procurement is overly complicated. This allows manufacturers to sell equipment to the military through official state procurement.
Units first identify the equipment they actually need; these requests are reviewed and prioritized by higher command levels, and only then can a product be approved for state procurement.
HIMERA, a manufacturer of electronic warfare-resistant communications systems, has not had its products purchased at the state level because a decision on deeming the company’s products a “need” has stalled, according to Misha Rudominski, the co-founder of HIMERA.
The company has filed an application that it says meets all requirements, but the decision is still pending with the Main Directorate for Communications and Cybersecurity of the General Staff.
To meet all requirements, HIMERA has received codification from both NATO and Ukraine’s MoD. The company confirmed the security of its AES-256 encryption, which is widely used to protect confidential data, conducted IP67 dust and water protection tests, and made changes to the technical specifications in coordination with military personnel.
The process for obtaining all approvals are not sufficiently transparent, Rudominski said. Only long-established companies seem to understand the regulations that cover the matter, he said, while new manufacturers face a process that is effectively inaccessible.
Counteroffensive.Pro reached out to the General Staff for comment, but was referred to the Defense Procurement Agency of the MoD. We have submitted a request there, but have not yet received a response. We will provide an update once the information becomes available.
Ukrainian orders/legislation we’re tracking:
By: Oksana Zabolotna
Procurement of pickup trucks by military units
Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated August 15, 2025 № 992
Why it’s important:
This provision streamlines the procurement of essential vehicles for military operations by allowing authorized units to buy used pickups, ATVs, and motorcycles without lengthy open tenders or catalog procedures. Thus, the Armed Forces can quickly replace damaged vehicles or supplement their transport needs.
Proposals:
Military units authorized by state defense customers to procure equipment may purchase used pickups, ATVs (including buggy-type ATVs), and motorcycles without conducting open tenders or using the electronic catalog, provided there is a confirmed need;
The value of such vehicles is determined based on an expert opinion (expert examination report) or a property valuation report.
Stage:
Entered into force on August 15, 2025.
Initiator:
Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
What’s next:
Implementation of the resolution.
ON THE MOVE: Professional movement, promotions and industry news.
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Herman Smetanin has become the head of Ukroboronprom, the state-run concern of defense enterprises, for the second time.
Joseph Truelove joined ARX Robotics in the U.K. as a founder's associate. The company designs autonomous ground systems and software.
Vito Tomasi now heads the U.K. office of Quantum Systems, a German drone maker.
30 SECOND ELEVATOR PITCH:
Buntar Aerospace is a Ukrainian company developing reconnaissance systems. The startup solutions combine unmanned platforms and specialized software into a unified architecture that provides advantages in decision-making speed, intelligence depth, and resource preservation under the most challenging conditions of contemporary warfare.
"My team and I at Buntar Aerospace are currently open to partnerships with organizations that view long-term investments in defense innovation as a strategic tool for influence and advantage for the free world,” said Bohdan Sas, co-founder and CCO at Buntar Aerospace.
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Comparison of ‘long’ Neptune (on top) with a basic anti-ship missile (at the bottom). Photo taken from Mylytarnyi
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Calibrating communications to strengthen resilience
