Moscow appears to be capitalizing on rainy and foggy weather conditions in Ukraine to complicate Kyiv’s drone operations, military analysts said this week.
On Monday, Ukrainian weather stations recorded heavy rainfall at the locations of multiple Russian mechanized attacks in the disputed Donbas region, according to the Institute for the Study of War think tank.
Russian forces are trying to seize on the poor weather to set up logistics hubs as well as make advances in several frontline areas, the ISW said.
“Several Ukrainian military sources throughout Fall 2025 have discussed how Russian forces have exploited rainy weather conditions that limit Ukraine’s drone operations,” ISW analysts said in a statement. “Russian forces have also taken advantage of a period of limited drone activity caused by windy weather to create a ‘bridge’ through a river in the Lyman direction” in Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
Drone warfare is a key element of the conflict in Ukraine, with Moscow and Kyiv using the unmanned aircraft to monitor each other’s movements as both sides direct troops and artillery.
The frigid winter conditions are affecting drone batteries in Ukraine the same way they do cellphones and other electronic devices. That means drones can’t spend as much time in the air as during warmer conditions, analysts said.
Russian forces moved several tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and artillery pieces while Ukrainian drones couldn’t operate.
“The lingering dampness and poor conditions that immediately follow rainfall likely degraded Ukrainian drone capabilities for several hours,” the ISW analysts said.
President Volodomyr Zelenskyy told reporters last week that Ukraine’s air defense capabilities have fallen by 20% to 30% as a result of the overcast weather. As a result, more and more Russian drones are getting through, striking Ukrainian cities and killing and injuring civilians, officials said.
“Now, as the war in the Middle East is coming to an end, it is important not to lose the momentum of spreading peace,” Mr. Zelenskyy said on his Telegram social messaging page. “The war in Europe can also be ended, and for this, leadership from both the United States and other partners is critical.”
