The Ukrainian military has successfully utilized its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities to anticipate and counter Russian attacks, according to a report by the Associated Press.
Kyiv’s sophisticated EW systems reportedly enable soldiers to eavesdrop on radio conversations between Russian troops, sometimes about coordination on a potential attack. Following successful interception, Ukrainian troops still need to decode Russian military gibberish that is usually hard to decipher.
For example, a Russian commander was recently recorded saying, “Brew five Chinese tea bags on 38 orange.” According to Ukrainian military radio operator Mikhass, the command means “prepare five Chinese-made artillery shells and fire them on a specific Ukrainian position in the Serebryansky Forest.” He immediately warned the commander of a unit deployed in the target area, giving them crucial time to prepare a counterattack.
A number of Ukrainian troops are tasked with listening to Russian communications for hours to gather intelligence. Decoding Russian orders requires special skills and, sometimes, the help of specialized computer software. Most information they gather is related to troop rotations, artillery fire, and drone operations. As the war approaches its second anniversary, Ukrainian troops have developed an understanding of some of the words the Russians typically use. The word “Cucumber” means mortars, while “Carrots” is used to refer to grenade launchers. Additionally, locations are conveyed in a numerical code with a corresponding color.
EW has been proven pivotal in Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, especially as both countries use drones and other electronic systems quite extensively. It helps exploit enemy weaknesses by disrupting signals used in communications or jamming the connection between drones and their operators. Last month, the Ukrainian military deployed radio-interference systems that can disable Russian drones from 250 meters (820 feet). It has also fielded a new EW system called Pokrova, which works by spoofing enemy signals or recreating false signals that confuse the receiver.
