One of Russia’s more successful weapons against Ukraine has been electronic warfare (EW) tech, so Russia’s EW units and supply lines need Ukrainian and international interdiction and customs attention. As of Summer 2022, 3 of 5 of Russia’s EW brigades were reportedly engaged in Ukraine.
To the extent that Russia sources its EW supplies internationally, Ukraine’s defense contact group allies and partners can do more to assist Ukraine and reduce their own expenses by interdicting the international supply conduits to Russian EW tech.
Mitre Corporation published in 2020 a report on Russian EW with a significant list of Russian EW systems in the appendix, following a chronicle of Russian military sources discussing Russian REB forces (EW forces) doctrine including an emphasis on “disorganization” of C2 (command and control) in addition to targeting smart weapons, aviation, ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance), radar, infrared, vehicles, and communication complexes that depend on electricity, electrical components, and or utilize the electromagnetic spectrum. Since Russia invaded Ukraine and achieved fixed front lines with Ukraine’s forces, its EW jamming, disruption, and operations have gathered strength. U.S. drone makers have found Russian EW to be a barrier to efficacy in Ukraine.
Russian EW Targets
Ukrainian forces have reportedly hit likely EW targets in Russia and Ukraine. Earlier this month, Newsweek posted video footage purportedly showed a HIMARS strike on Russian Leer-3 EW system, described as “a six-wheel truck as a command and control post, coordinating three of the Orlan-10 drones fitted with jammers.” Last Summer, The Kyiv Independent cited Russian media reports of a strike on the Zagorsk Optical and Mechanical Plant in the town of Serbiev Posad where “optical and optoelectrical devices for the military, law enforcement agencies, industries, and healthcare” were developed and manufactured. This within hours of a destructive warehouse fire at Voyskovaya Chast (Military Unit) 29235 at Ulitsa Lermontova, д.28, Georgiyevsk, Stavropol Krai, Russia, reportedly depicted on Torreddo’s YouTube channel. Ukraine was also reported to have captured a Krasakha-4 EW system in March 2022, in an intelligence coup.
Assiduous and continuous locating and tracking of supply sources and lines to Russian companies making Russia’s armamentarium of EW systems can yield new targets and objectives for Ukraine and nations supporting the suppression of international supplies to Russia’s EW complex.
Information Ops Follow-up
Generally, when supply lines of the opponent are down, information operations opportunities are up, offering leverage against Russia’s leadership for failing to protect their own military forces. This is true not only for conventional ammunition, weapons, and food, but especially for EW tech.
