A Ukrainian military unit, identified as the 93rd Separate Rifle Brigade, reported that it engaged Russian forces on the eastern front under exceptionally challenging conditions marked by heavy fog. This dense atmospheric cover severely impaired the performance of the small aerial drones that the Ukrainian defense efforts typically depend upon for reconnaissance and precision targeting. To counteract these limitations and maintain situational awareness, the brigade strategically deployed advanced unmanned ground vehicles—UGVs—to serve as an alternative form of surveillance and detection, adapting their tactics to the obscured battlefield environment.
According to an official statement released on Saturday, the brigade utilized these robotic ground systems in the village of Rusin Yar, positioned near Pokrovsk, a key urban hub that has recently become a focal point in the ongoing confrontation. The innovative approach allowed Ukrainian soldiers to identify enemy troop movements that would otherwise have gone unnoticed amidst the thick fog settling over the region. The Kremlin’s forces, meanwhile, reportedly sought to tighten a strategic encirclement around the city, attempting to exploit the limited visibility to achieve surprise against Ukrainian defenses that rely heavily on aerial drone reconnaissance.
In an address shared through social media channels, representatives from the 93rd Brigade described how the adversary, taking advantage of the weather-induced blindness of aerial drones, redirected its approach toward Ukrainian positions. Russian units anticipated that the fog would effectively neutralize one of Ukraine’s primary battlefield advantages. However, the statement continued, Russian commanders had underestimated Ukraine’s capacity for technological adaptation, failing to predict the deployment of highly sophisticated robotic ground reconnaissance platforms operating stealthily behind enemy lines. These systems, engineered for stability and precision in conditions where optics and line-of-sight technologies falter, allowed Ukrainian forces to detect hostile activity well before being directly engaged.
The brigade elaborated that once the UGVs identified the formation and movement of Russian columns, drone teams were immediately able to deploy first-person-view (FPV) aerial drones. These units, guided by real-time video feeds transmitted directly to their operators, executed prompt strikes against advancing troops. To substantiate their claims, the brigade released video footage purporting to capture the moment when a UGV successfully located a Russian armored vehicle. Additionally, over a dozen video clips were published, showing FPV drones diving toward armored targets and releasing grenades with lethal precision on exposed enemy soldiers. Business Insider, however, noted that it could not independently confirm the authenticity, timing, or exact location of these recordings.
The reports from the 93rd Brigade highlight a significant tactical development in modern warfare—an emergent synergy between ground-based robotic reconnaissance systems and aerial FPV drones. In environments where fog, rain, or snow restricts aerial visibility, the ability of UGVs to scan terrain, identify threats, and provide data for airborne counterparts becomes invaluable. These ground assets can assume tasks previously borne by infantry scouts, mitigating risk to personnel while enhancing operational flexibility. Their varied configurations allow them to traverse rough or obscured terrain that human soldiers might struggle to navigate safely.
Weather conditions have long posed a formidable obstacle to drone operations in Ukraine’s warzones. For operators, heavy fog represents not only a physical but also a tactical constraint, rendering standard lenses, infrared systems, and guided targeting unreliable. Numerous Ukrainian drone pilots have acknowledged that despite advances in technology, no comprehensive solution currently exists to counteract such environmental challenges. A drone pilot affiliated with the Flying Skulls battalion summarized this reality succinctly earlier in the week when they remarked, “Fog is fog,” acknowledging that certain natural limitations remain unmitigated even in an age of rapid innovation.
Given these constraints, both Ukrainian drone specialists and manufacturers have repeatedly emphasized the importance of sustained and coordinated artillery fire as a compensatory measure. Such bombardments, they argue, can slow or halt Russian advances even under conditions where optical surveillance is degraded. This recommendation underscores the importance of a multidimensional response—combining traditional artillery firepower with contemporary robotic systems—to offset reduced visibility.
In recent days, reports indicate that Russian forces have attempted to exploit the heavy fog by intensifying their mechanized pushes toward Pokrovsk. Ukrainian sources have noted an uptick in enemy personnel attempting to breach their defensive perimeters, using the cover of clouds and mist for concealment. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly acknowledged the gravity of the situation in the city, warning that Ukrainian defenders may be outnumbered by a ratio as severe as eight to one. He further cautioned that Russia has significantly escalated the frequency and aggression of assaults against this critical logistical hub, whose rail and road networks supply much of the eastern front. In a Telegram message, Zelenskyy described the ongoing battles as exceptionally difficult, emphasizing that the prevailing weather conditions have created circumstances more favorable for Russian attacks.
Current reports also suggest a shift in Russian battlefield tactics. Where previous offensives relied on larger, heavily mechanized units, recent operations have featured small infiltration teams composed of merely two or three soldiers each. These squads move discreetly, leveraging their small size to evade detection and gradually establish footholds within contested zones. The strategy allows Moscow to incrementally expand its territorial presence without exposing larger, more visible formations to Ukrainian fire. Nevertheless, under the current fog cover, Russian forces have alternated between mechanized forward thrusts and smaller infiltration maneuvers, attempting to combine speed and stealth.
One particularly viral video circulated online last week appeared to show Russian soldiers advancing south of Pokrovsk using civilian vehicles—cars, motorcycles, and even unarmored trucks—on a major roadway, indicative of both desperation and adaptive improvisation. Yet, over the weekend, Ukrainian troops reported that these mechanized pushes had lessened somewhat. A representative from the 117th Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade told the local outlet Suspilne that after an intense phase of mechanized attacks in the preceding week, enemy behavior had reverted to small-unit infiltration tactics. Likewise, a report from CNN cited interviews with two drone operators working in the area, noting that Russian troops were increasingly being detected in clusters of only two or three individuals instead of larger groups of five to seven that had been typical just a week earlier.
Through these detailed developments, the evolving dynamic of the eastern front embodies a larger theme of adaptation and counter-adaptation. Both Ukrainian and Russian forces are responding to environmental constraints and technological realities with ingenuity and constant tactical recalibration. Yet it is Ukraine’s 93rd Brigade that stands out for its seamless integration of ground robotics into a primarily aerial reconnaissance framework. By combining unmanned ground and aerial systems even in adverse weather conditions, Ukrainian defenders continue to demonstrate a capacity for agile innovation under pressure and to transform apparent vulnerabilities—such as fog—into opportunities for strategic advantage.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-drone-team-dense-fog-overcome-fpv-pokrovsk-2025-11
