New footage from the First Person View (FPV) perspective shows Russian drones, controlled by fiber-optic cables, chasing Ukrainian vehicles near the border with the Kursk region, which are protected by antennas for electronic warfare.
Russian front journalist Yevgeny Poddubny posted the clip on his Telegram channel on Sunday, likely showing an operation by the Russian 40th Marine Brigade’s drone pilots, part of the “North” troop group.
The first part of the video shows an FPV kamikaze drone pursuing a Ukrainian tank and, despite several anti-drone measures, hitting the upper rear part of the tank’s hull.
Several antennas for electronic warfare are visible, protruding through the anti-drone lamellar armor plating attached to the top of the tank. The drone catches up to the speeding and zigzagging tank and hits it on the roof of the hull, where the armor is typically thinner than in most other areas.
The second part of the clip shows another FPV drone diving down on a parked SUV and hitting it on the roof. Several antennas for electronic warfare are visible, protruding from the SUV’s roof.
Fiber-optic-controlled drones have been used more frequently in the last months, after they were first used by Russian forces in the summer. The footage of these drones is characterized by a slightly lower speed and high image quality, not affected by the omnipresent jammers on both sides of the conflict.
These types of drones are completely immune to electronic warfare, as they are directly connected to the pilot via a fiber-optic cable, unlike their more vulnerable, radio-controlled counterparts. The disadvantage of fiber-optic-controlled drones is that they are less agile, as they need to carry a spool with the cable, making them less maneuverable.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine has lost over 61,000 dead or wounded soldiers in the Kursk region since the Kiev forces’ advance began in August 2024 to February 16, 2025. Additionally, Ukraine has lost, according to the Ministry, over 365 tanks, 48 multiple-launch rocket systems (including 13 HIMARS and six other MLRS from US production), six air defense systems and hundreds of other heavy vehicles.