- Bad weather and Russian jammers are preventing Ukraine from using precious drones around Bakhmut.
- Ukraine's counteroffensive is heavily relying on drones for air power, The Washington Post reported.
In the surrounding areas of Bakhmut, Ukrainian soldiers remain poised to push against Russian defenses — but their main air asset is easily rendered useless by bad weather and Russian jammers.
Drones used for artillery and reconnaissance have been a boon for Ukraine since Russia invaded over 500 days ago, but they're not an all-purpose solution.
The Washington Post followed a four-man squad in a village outside Bakhmut who hoped to fly a drone to the Russian front nearby — but bad weather and losing the asset to Russian jammers for the second day in a row canceled their plans. They deemed the drone launch too risky.
It's just one example of the difficulties facing Ukraine's counteroffensive. Kyiv's grind against Russian defenses — which includes miles of trenches, landmines, and heavy artillery — has been slow, with little territory retaken or gained.
Experts say part of the problem is Ukraine's lack of advanced air support, such as Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Gray Eagle drones. The latter has a loitering time of around 25 hours and can operate at just shy of 30,000 feet, making them useful for longer missions or gathering more information.
Ukraine's biggest air asset right now is its UK-provided Storm Shadow missiles, which have seen major battlefield success in recent weeks.