War in Ukraine enters new phase, - Financial Times
Photo: Ukrainian armed forces (General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine)
Even far from the frontline, any mistake can be fatal. The new reality of the war in eastern Ukraine has reshaped military tactics, logistics, and even the very concept of the rear, according to Financial Times.
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Drone warfare and new danger zone
According to the publication, even dozens of minutes from Russian positions, any activity can become deadly.
Helicopters constantly operate over positions, while fields are crossed by fiber-optic lines used to control equipment and drones.
Military pickup trucks are fitted with metal structures in an attempt to reduce the risk of strikes.
In frontline areas, infrastructure is also adapting to the threat. In Kherson, protective nets are stretched over roads and hospitals to reduce the danger of aerial attacks.
Movement only at night
Near the line of contact, normal movement has largely disappeared. Troops move to positions at night, use anti-thermal cloaks, or wait for dense fog.
Food and equipment are often delivered by drones, while wounded evacuations are sometimes carried out using robotic systems.
Marine veteran and head of the Come Back Alive foundation Taras Chmut described the situation as a "zone of death," saying the war has changed radically and the danger zone continues to expand each month, something Europeans still struggle to fully grasp.
FPV drones reshaping frontline
FPV drones now play a central role in new tactics, tracking vehicles and striking them with high precision. As a result, conventional transport has largely disappeared from areas close to the front.
A representative of the 93rd Brigade Kholodnyi Yar, Iryna Rybakova, said transport is barely used in the immediate combat zone.
To protect roads, kilometers of netting are installed overhead, creating tunnel-like structures, though even this does not guarantee safety.
New technologies and unconventional tactics
The frontline has become a testing ground for modern methods of combat and countermeasures. Electronic warfare is widely used to jam drone control signals.
In response, Russian forces deploy drones connected by long fiber-optic cables, sometimes up to 40 kilometers, making them resistant to radio interference.
Traditional armored columns have largely disappeared. Troops increasingly rely on improvised solutions, including armed pickup trucks, drone-intercepting nets, and other adaptive methods.
Unusual attack methods are also being recorded, ranging from movement in small disguised groups to the use of motorcycles, buggies, and even horses.
Separately, US presidential spiritual adviser Mark Burns said crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine cannot be ignored or excluded from potential peace negotiations, arguing they represent a targeted campaign of terror against civilians.
Ukraine’s presidential office head Kyrylo Budanov also said the negotiation process between Ukraine and Russia is gradually approaching a stage where final decisions will need to be made.
