Heavy fog is punishing Ukraine's drones in the key city of Pokrovsk, where Russians are attacking on motorbikes and cars

"As with many other frontline strongholds, Ukrainian forces in the city have largely relied on drone surveillance to spot and counter repeated ground assaults, which are now Russia's typical mode of attack. But blankets of heavy fog descending on Pokrovsk in recent days have suppressed that tactic. Many Ukrainian drones, both for reconnaissance and strike purposes, rely on optical cameras and can perform poorly in low visibility. Some are equipped with more expensive thermal cameras, but even these can be hindered by thick fog."

"The 7th Airborne Assault Corps wrote in its Tuesday update that the Kremlin's forces were combining the advantage of the dense fog with "light equipment" to attack Pokrovsk's southern flank. Russian troops regularly use civilian vehicles such as motorcycles or cars to conduct assaults, hoping their smaller and faster frames can help them evade detection or attack from first-person-view drones."

Thick fog is enabling Russian forces to advance into Pokrovsk by degrading Ukrainian drone surveillance that defenders rely on for reconnaissance and strikes. Many Ukrainian drones use optical cameras that perform poorly in low visibility, and even drones with thermal cameras can be hindered by dense fog. Under cover of this weather, Russian troops — including foot soldiers, motorbikes and civilian cars — have pushed rapidly into the city, increasing their estimated presence from about 200 to over 300 fighters. Russian units are using light equipment to attack the southern flank and exploit reduced detection.

Read at Business Insider