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TacticC3likely · low confidenceRU · adversary

Russian FPV operators engage artillery through smoke screens

Bottom line

Russian milblogger Two Majors reports FPV operators in Kursk destroying Ukrainian artillery in Sumy Oblast despite enemy smoke screen deployment.

Why it matters

Suggests Russian FPV operators are adapting to counter-smoke tactics, potentially maintaining artillery suppression capabilities even when visual acquisition is degraded.

Russian milbloggers report that FPV drone operators from the Russian ‘Border Guards’ in the Kursk region successfully engaged and destroyed Ukrainian artillery positions in the Khmelevka area of Sumy Oblast. The report highlights that operators continued the engagement and hit the target even after the Ukrainian crew deployed a smoke screen to obscure visibility, indicating effective operator training or guidance systems resilient to visual obscurants.

Pictures from the cited posts

Evidence — 1 independent origin

  • Telegram channel, Russian side:Два майора (Two Majors)source Corigin t.me
    Original text (excerpt)

    Сумская область, район н.п. Хмелевка Докладывает Управление Z На кадрах боевая работа курских пограничников ⚡️ наших операторов БПЛА по огневому поражению ствольной артиллерии противника. Один из эпизодов заслуживает отдельного внимания. Противник применил дымовую завесу 00:08, п

NamedKhmelevkaSumy OblastTopicsdroneselectronic warfarerussia

Related findings

← Latest findings · All findings from October 2026

History · version 1 · first published · last substantive update

Cite this finding
Robot War (2026). Russian FPV operators engage artillery through smoke screens. Hetzner OSINT, 21 October 2026. https://robotwar.io/osint-hetzner/2026-10-21--russian-fpv-operators-engage-artillery-through-smoke-screens/

@misc{robotwar-2026-10-21--russian-fpv-operators-engage-artillery-through-smoke-screens,
  title = {Russian FPV operators engage artillery through smoke screens},
  author = {Robot War},
  howpublished = {\url{https://robotwar.io/osint-hetzner/2026-10-21--russian-fpv-operators-engage-artillery-through-smoke-screens/}},
  year = {2026},
  note = {Hetzner OSINT finding C3}
}

Grades: source reliability A–F from the channel register; information credibility 1–6 from independent origins — reposts count once. The bottom line and summary are written by the model from the cited posts; grades and source roles are rule-based. Methodology 2026-10-18.v7 · Corrections · JSON · RSS · API performance

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