'Very difficult to defeat' — How Russia uses mesh networks inside drones to precision-strike Kyiv

Russian fixed-wing drones are now being fitted with mesh radios, which are proving to be an effective alternative to Starlink, albeit with limitations of their own.

Since late summer, a near-constant swarm of jet-powered Russian drones has obscured the skies over Kyiv, terrorizing residents and hunting for targets across the city.

Mesh communications are helping turn these aircraft into a formidable threat, capable of high-resolution reconnaissance and remotely operated precision strikes at unprecedented range.

Photo: Genya Savilov / AFP via Getty Images.