A Russian fiber-optic FPV drone - resistant to electronic jamming - reached Kharkiv for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian authorities said.
The drone, guided via a thin fiber-optic cable rather than radio signal, struck a tree in the city’s Kyivskyi district at around 15:00 on 25 February, according to the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office.
Officials described it as the first recorded use of this type of drone against the city.
Unlike standard FPV drones that rely on radio control and can be disrupted by electronic warfare systems, fiber-optic variants maintain a direct physical connection to the operator through a cable that unwinds during flight. Because no radio signal is transmitted, conventional jamming systems are ineffective.
What Kharkiv's defenders can and can't do about it
Defense Ministry adviser Serhii Beskrestnov called the drone’s presence in Kharkiv a serious technological challenge.
He said radio-electronic reconnaissance would be ineffective against a fiber-optic drone because it emits no radio signal. He added that radar systems could help detect it, though they are less reliable against low-altitude flights, and that acoustic detection may offer a partial solution.
Fiber-optic drones also have limitations. The cable restricts range and maneuverability and can break or become entangled, cutting control mid-flight.
Prosecutors said Russian servicemen used a 13-inch FPV drone in the strike. No casualties were reported.
