Birds Build Nests Using Fibre Optics Found In FPV Drones In Ukraine

NDTV

08-06-2025

In a scene straight out of a post-apocalyptic dystopian movie, a bird's nest constructed using fibre optic cable from the armed drones has been found in Ukraine. The picture of the nest has been circulating on social media, highlighting how much debris from fibre-guided FPVs was now littered across the Ukrainian and Russian landscape, since the war broke out three years ago.
The 12th Azov Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine discovered the novel-looking nest near the front line in Toretsk, Donetsk region. It is almost entirely made up of fibre optic, with birds using it as they would use grass, hair or fur.
"Birds were the first after people to use the remains of fibre optic for their own needs. This is just one of dozens of manifestations of how nature survives in the flames of war," the brigade's message said, as per Ukrainian News.
In recent months, FPV drones, controlled via fibre optic cable, have been used aggressively by both parties to gain an advantage over the territories. The use of fibre optics allows the operator of an FPV drone to perform tasks despite electronic warfare (EW) equipment.
According to Ukraine's Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, 15 companies now make fibre drones in the country. The rapid progress has been made possible due to the help of former US Marine Troy Smothers, who took his fibre drone design to Ukraine to demonstrate the technology and develop the local industry.
Ukrainian drones inflict damage
Last week, Ukraine launched a major drone attack against Russian military airbases, located thousands of kilometres from the front line. Code-named 'Spider's web', Ukraine used 117 drones and a corresponding number of drone operators who managed to destroy Russian bombers and other important air assets.
The airbases in the eastern Siberian city of Belaya, Olenya, in the Arctic near Finland, and Ivanovo and Dyagilevo - both east of Moscow, were the major targets of the attack. Images and videos of the incident circulating on social media showed the Ukrainian drone operators taking their time and eliminating the Russian aircraft using the drones.