Oleksandr Aronets, an officer with the 12th Azov Special Forces Brigade of the Ukrainian army, reported on 8/9 that “Russia is using FPV drones to attack vehicles on the Barvenkovo-Slavyansk road, about 40-50 km from the front. They appear to be launched from larger drones to penetrate deep into the rear.”

Aronets added that Ukrainian vehicles have been attacked by Russian FPV drones on the road from Izyum to Slavyansk for several days, even though this route was previously considered safe and beyond the reach of Russian drones.

The road connecting several cities in Donetsk, Kharkov, and Dnipropetrovsk provinces (red). Graphics: RYV

Slavyansk has an area of about 59 km2 and a pre-war population of over 105,000. The city is situated on the road from Kharkov province to Donetsk province and is part of a chain of cities described as the "backbone of the Ukrainian defense line", which includes Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkovka, and Konstantinovka.

“We should have installed drone nets along these routes earlier and implemented the measures proposed by Ukrainian soldiers. The Ukrainian army needs to act now, otherwise Russia will sooner or later control all of Kramatorsk, Slavyansk, Druzhkovka, and Konstantinovka,” Aronets said.

Some Ukrainian military experts acknowledge this as "the worst news in recent times", as the road through Izyum is a vital Ukrainian supply route in the region.

In addition to using mother-daughter drones, Russia may have used FPV drones with larger batteries, allowing for extended flight range.

“The escalating conflict and the enemy’s massive deployment of FPV drones have made the M-03 highway from Izyum to Slavyansk particularly dangerous. We advise drivers to consider the situation when planning their trips and avoid this section of the road if possible," the Kharkov Regional Department of Infrastructure Restoration and Development stated.

Russian drone operating on the front lines, November 2024. Photo: RIA Novosti

To counter Russian drones, Ukrainian soldiers have recently strung fishing nets along several routes to the front line in Donetsk province, similar to the tactics employed by Russian forces since 2023. According to Western experts, the Russian military's advancement in drone development has forced Ukraine to adopt measures previously considered ineffective.

Nguyen Tien (According to AFP, AP, Kharkiv Today)