Soldiers from Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade are using underground tunnels to reach their positions in the Kramatorsk direction in the Donetsk region.
According to Ukrainian broadcaster TSN, the solution reflects the steadily worsening drone threat. The closer troops move to the front line, the greater the risk of being detected by Russian drones and targeted in an attack.
Protective netting designed to stop drones has been installed extensively over roads in Ukraine, but according to Militarnyi, even this no longer guarantees safe movement. New drones and increasingly effective tactics can bypass such defenses.
The frontline brigade’s answer has been to move some of its routes underground.
Tunnels lead directly to frontline positions
TSN journalists travelled through one of the underground routes to positions used by the brigade’s drone unit. A soldier using the call sign Omar showed them a tunnel with exits leading directly to troop positions.
The aim is to minimize the amount of time soldiers have to spend in exposed terrain within reach of Russian reconnaissance and attack drones.
“An excellent solution that protects our troops,” Omar said.
During the report, Ukrainian drone operators attacked a Russian vehicle and an artillery piece. The soldiers also displayed an FPV drone fitted with a larger-than-usual warhead capable of penetrating the armor of heavier vehicles.
The current situation in Ukraine has drawn comparisons with the Vietnam War. A journalist for Ukrainska Pravda wrote in February about the “Vietnamization” of the front, arguing that the drone threat is forcing troops to build more protected and underground connections between positions.
Near the front line, underground routes can be used to move troops, transport ammunition and supplies, and evacuate wounded soldiers.
Militarnyi has previously reported on an underground fortification network around two kilometers long in eastern Ukraine, consisting of 12 interconnected structures. The shelters were designed with features including waterproofing, ventilation, camouflage and the ability to operate independently.