The net covering the Ukrainian army's trenches serves as a measure to protect the infantry fighting below from UAVs (Photo: Ukrainian Army).
Small drones — some carrying grenades, others rigged with explosives — have become ubiquitous in the nearly 22-month war between Russia and Ukraine. And the ground troops on both sides know it.
Recent battlefield videos show how dangerous this weapon can be.
For example, one video shows Russia deploying a first-person view (FPV) UAV to attack a trench, eliminating some of the Ukrainian infantry holding out inside and scattering the rest.
Or in another video, a Ukrainian UAV accurately throws a grenade at a moving Russian tank, damaging it. The UAV then continues to throw explosives at a second Russian tank sent to tow the damaged vehicle away.
Rob Lee, an analyst at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (USA), posted photos of these protective measures. Accordingly, while Ukraine covered the trenches with nets, Russia also covered the tunnel entrances with steel mesh.
Russia uses steel mesh to cover the tunnel door to prevent UAVs carrying explosives from entering to attack (Photo: X).
Samuel Bendett, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (USA), said that explosive-laden drones are "everywhere" on the battlefield.
So, defense options against FPV UAVs are popping up everywhere.
“We are seeing a lot of different defenses against UAVs like protective cages, armor, wooden planks and things like that,” he said.
These protective measures are usually found on tanks and armored vehicles. However, now infantry on both sides must also find ways to protect themselves.
“Both sides are trying to adapt as quickly as possible to the growing threat of FPV drones,” said Mr. Bendett.
Curtains and wire mesh cover the trenches as a shield, preventing UAVs from plunging straight down and potentially causing great loss of human life.
However, the scenario where every infantry platoon on both sides has its own air defense system and jamming equipment is unlikely to happen in the near future, since there are thousands of such units. Therefore, to adapt to the threat, infantry on both sides will have to continue to dig trenches and cover themselves with nets to protect themselves from the enemy.
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