Analysts Forecast Russia Could “Soon” Win The War In Ukraine Thanks To Electronic Warfare System

The Russia-Ukraine war is still dragging on. (photo: twitter @Ukraine)

JAKARTA- As Russia's war against Ukraine continues to drag on, electronic warfare techniques may give Russian troops an edge. This is said by some war intelligence analysts.

In the final phase of the war, which is now in its sixth month of fighting, various observers have noted that Russia's electronic warfare (EW) systems are playing a bigger role.

The EW designation refers to a variety of hardware and software systems that can jam, intercept, or find enemy communications. In June, the Associated Press reported that the system was starting to become more widely used in eastern Ukraine, where shorter supply lines allow Russian troops to move specialized EW equipment closer to the battlefield.

Ukrainian officials told the AP that GPS interference with the drone's guidance system presented a "pretty severe" threat to its effectiveness.

A new analysis published in Spectrum, a news publication produced by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), also argues that while the EW did not play a decisive role in the invasion, it is now helping and tipping the scale in Russia's favor.

“Experts have long pointed out that Russia has some of the most experienced and well-equipped EW units in the world,” wrote Bryan Clark, director of the Hudson Institute's Center for Defense Concepts and Technology, for Spectrum.

"So in the early days of the February 24 invasion, analysts expected Russian forces to quickly dominate, and then dominate, the electromagnetic spectrum," Clark said.

"But after nearly a decade of drills in eastern Ukraine," Clark continued, "when the latest escalation and invasion began in February, the Russian EW didn't show up."

However, according to Clark, now that Russian forces control more territory in Ukraine and are increasingly using "siege tactics" around Ukrainian cities, EW is starting to come into play.

In one instance, Russian forces were reported to have been able to interfere with the radar communications of Ukrainian drones, preventing them from effectively identifying Russian artillery batteries.

Meanwhile, interception techniques allowed Russian troops to locate and target Ukrainian artillery, suppressing their significant numerical advantage in terms of firepower.

In addition to jamming, unofficial hacking attempts have also played a role in the conflict, including a number of anti-Russian groups operating under the guise of Anonymous.