Russia’s Electronic Warfare Counter-Drone Systems: A Game Changer in the Ukraine Conflict

Russia’s Electronic Warfare Counter-Drone Systems: A Game Changer in the Ukraine Conflict
Russia is facing significant challenges across its 600-mile front with Ukraine, with its rate of advance having slowed significantly over the past few months. Despite this, the country’s military is continuing to mobilize, with a recent announcement of a 160,000-man military call-up aimed at boosting its manpower. However, the primary cause of Russia’s struggling offensive has been widely attributed to the extensive use of Ukrainian drones. The use of drones has transformed modern warfare, allowing Ukraine to deploy a large and adaptable arsenal of drones capable of both precision strikes and reconnaissance. According to recent reports, Ukrainian drones are now responsible for two-thirds of Russian battlefield losses, leading to widespread equipment shortages. The persistent threat of drone attacks has limited Russian ability to conduct large-scale mechanized assaults, which are essential for breaching the Ukrainian defensive lines. Given these challenges, Russia is in urgent need of more effective counter-drone systems. These systems can be broadly categorized as either kinetic or non-kinetic. Kinetic systems rely on missiles or bullets to shoot down drones, but they are largely ineffective against the small, low-flying FPV drones used by Ukraine. As a result, Russia is opting for non-kinetic systems, which rely on electronic warfare (EW) to neutralize drones. These systems begin by detecting the radio signals transmitted to and from a drone, and then attempt to neutralize it through various means. The use of EW systems has proven highly effective against Ukrainian drones, with several recent reports highlighting their ability to disrupt communication and navigation signals. The development and deployment of EW systems has become a critical aspect of Russia’s military strategy, and the country is investing heavily in this area. Russia’s EW expertise rests in its defense industrial base. Rostec, Russia’s largest defense company, recently announced that its subsidiary, Ruselectronics, has started to field the SERP-VS6D, an advanced automated EW counter-drone system. The system features a high-precision passive detector capable of identifying a range of Ukrainian drones, including FPVs. The SERP-VS6D operates passively, making it difficult to detect by Ukrainian electronic surveillance. Once a drone is detected, the system attempts to jam its communication and navigation signals, and has six communication channels and rapid digital signal processing capabilities to disrupt multiple drones simultaneously. The SERP-VS6D joins a number of other Russian EW systems that have been fielded over the past year, including the Silok-01F and the GIKEL Cheburashka, which can reportedly intercept video feeds and disrupt synchronization pulses to break the feed. These systems have been referred to as “Shtora,” or curtain, by Ukrainian sources, due to their ability to distort and disrupt video feeds. The Russian defense base possesses significant technical expertise in EW, but lacks the agility to match Ukraine’s drone development timelines. To address this issue, Russia established the BARS-Sarmat Special Purpose Center in January 2025, which is designed to accelerate the design, development, and production of critical technologies, including EW systems. The facility has recently announced two new systems: the vehicle-mounted Sarmat-Mgla and the man-portable Sarmat-Kentavr, which are claimed to be overwhelmingly effective. The introduction of these new EW counter-drone systems coincides with the mobilization of Russian forces for what seems to be a new offensive campaign. If effective, these systems could limit the effectiveness of Ukrainian drones, giving Russia an advantage during at least the initial portions of this campaign. However, as demonstrated throughout the course of this war, any technical advantage is only temporary, as Ukraine will eventually find a way to counter these new systems, and Russia will need to develop new systems.

1. The SERP-VS6D system features a high-precision passive detector capable of identifying a range of Ukrainian drones, including FPVs.
2. The system operates passively, making it difficult to detect by Ukrainian electronic surveillance.
3. The SERP-VS6D attempts to jam its communication and navigation signals, and has six communication channels and rapid digital signal processing capabilities to disrupt multiple drones simultaneously.
4. The system can be used in both stationary and mobile configurations, while engaging targets up to five kilometers away.

The development and deployment of EW systems has become a critical aspect of Russia’s military strategy. The country is investing heavily in this area, with a focus on developing new systems that can effectively counter the Ukrainian drones.

“The BARS-Sarmat Special Purpose Center is a game-changer for Russia’s defense industry. It will enable us to accelerate the design, development, and production of critical technologies, including EW systems.”

Russia’s defense base possesses significant technical expertise in EW, but lacks the agility to match Ukraine’s drone development timelines. The introduction of these new EW counter-drone systems could give Russia an advantage during at least the initial portions of this campaign. The future of warfare is becoming increasingly dependent on the development and deployment of EW systems.
Russia’s efforts to develop and deploy EW systems are a significant step forward in the country’s military strategy.

EW (Electronic Warfare)

Kinetic

Non-kinetic

FPV (First-Person View)

EW systems

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