Modern Warfare: Facing Russian Drone Problem, Ukraine's Underground Solution
As thousands of explosive-laden drones scour both sides of the front in Russia's 39-month-long war on Ukraine, armoured vehicle and their crews are being moved underground. To keep them safe and the artillery operational.
A new video shows a Ukrainian artillery crew taking cover in a muddy dugout along the more than 1,130-km-long front line. The clip features a 2s1 "Gvozdika" (Carnation) 122mm self-propelled gun in a shelter so deep it struggles to climb out for a fire mission. The entrance is temporarily cleared of strong anti-first-person-view (FPV) drone netting.
A Ukrainian 2S1 "Gvozdika" (Carnation) 122mm self propelled gun has a dugout so deep it struggles to get out for a fire mission.
It is great to see the strong anti-FPV protective netting temporarily pulled aside at the entrance. https://t.co/W1rQ2mZavN pic.twitter.com/EW7TwWMcDr
— Roy???????? (@GrandpaRoy2) May 7, 2025
The four-man team operates the 18-tonne howitzer from deep underground in a hideout dug using heavy machinery. Logs reinforce the shelter, while a thick net protects against Russian drones.
Similar images released by Ukraine's 36th Marine Brigade near Russia's Kursk Oblast suggest more artillery units are now adopting such underground defences.
In a dugout of Ukrainian gunners.
These Mykolaiv Marines operate a 2S1 Gvozdika 'Carnation' 122mm self propelled howitzer.
1/2 pic.twitter.com/rjqpGplgZQ
— Roy???????? (@GrandpaRoy2) April 3, 2024
Ukraine is using nearly two million FPV drones every month. The FPVs are small, fast, and dangerous machines that can cause serious damage. Russia is using a similar number. These drones are controlled either by wireless signals or fibre-optic cables from several km away.
Although FPV drones pose a serious threat, they are not infallible. Wireless-controlled models can be jammed, and fibre-optic variants leave behind a visible trail that could expose their operators. Still, the most reliable defence may be physical barriers like armour, mesh, or even dirt.
Dirt, in fact, provides such effective protection that more vehicle crews are transforming into what one observer called "subterranean creatures." But this isn't easy. Digging these hideouts demands excavators and skilled operators. Several Ukrainian units have begun crowdfunding for excavation equipment.
Last year, Ukraine began developing AI-powered drones to fight back against Russia's growing use of signal jamming. Traditional FPV drones became less effective, with hit rates for new pilots dropping to just 10 per cent.
To fix this, Ukrainian tech firms built smarter drones that use AI to spot targets and complete missions even without a live signal. One startup, Swarmer, created software called Styx that helps groups of drones fly and strike together without much human control.
These AI drones are now hitting targets with up to 80 per cent accuracy. The next goal is to cut costs.
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