Russia is investigating an attempted sabotage using explosives in goggles sent to FPV (First-Person View) drone operators. The aim of the sabotage is said to be to kill or injure the operators. Detecting the sabotage and preventing it from spreading further was a major success for Russian security forces. However, this incident may only be the beginning and poses a greater threat.
Detection and Disclosure of Sabotage Attempt
Details of how the incident unfolded began with the detection of explosives hidden inside the FPV Skyzone Cobra drone goggles, according to information based on Russian military sources. The Razved Dozor Telegram channel reported that these goggles contained 10-15 grams of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) made of plastic explosives and that these explosives were designed to be triggered when the goggles were opened. Initially, it was suggested that this sabotage would be carried out without the volunteers' knowledge. Only thanks to the careful observations of the soldiers, the explosives in several packages that were trying to be opened were detected and a possible disaster was averted.
Russian news outlet Readovka reported the following about how the sabotage was detected: “There were very few signs of opening the boxes, but the explosives were noticed thanks to the soldiers’ vigilance.” This shows that the sabotage was planned quite meticulously, but a greater loss was prevented thanks to the soldiers’ sensitive and careful behavior.
Previous Sabotages and Comparisons
This type of sabotage has been used in similar ways in the past. For example, Israel’s large-scale attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon last year resulted in a huge loss of life with remotely triggered explosives. That attack involved the detonation of thousands of explosive-laden pagers and radio devices. However, the sabotage carried out with FPV drone goggles in Russia appears to have been carried out with a simpler technique. Triggered by the opening of the goggles, the explosion offers a more direct approach and stands out as a faster form of sabotage than complex operations.
The method Israel used against Hezbollah was an operation that required years of intelligence work and a complex supply chain. However, the explosives placed in the FPV goggles are a simpler plan of sabotage, such as a single-move explosion. This provides a less complex method of attack, while also allowing potential victims to detect the situation after the initial explosion, preventing further losses.
Russian Army's Concerns for the Future
Russian military bloggers fear that this sabotage could be just the beginning. Sabotaging electronic devices could jeopardize any technology used on the front lines. In particular, targeting sensitive devices such as drone goggles could call into question the security of equipment used on the battlefield. If such sabotage becomes widespread, the Russian military may need to scrutinize every piece of electronic equipment. This could seriously slow down supply chains and reduce the effectiveness of combat operations.
More importantly, such sabotage can create great psychological pressure among soldiers. Soldiers may act out of fear and insecurity because they will not know whether any electronic equipment they handle contains explosives. This can further aggravate the psychological effects of war and have a negative impact on army morale.
The attempted sabotage using explosives embedded in FPV drone goggles poses more than just a technical threat to Russia. Such attacks raise serious concerns about the security of all electronic equipment used on the battlefield. Russian authorities have launched an investigation into the incident and are working to identify the perpetrators. However, the incident could pose a greater threat in the future and require further strengthening of security measures.
The increasing prevalence of sabotage could force the Russian military to reconsider its strategies and develop new security protocols. How this sabotage attempt is handled in the coming days and how Russia responds to such threats will be of great importance.
