Executive Summary

In early February, reports surfaced regarding a series of exploding first-person-view (FPV) drone goggles being used by Russian soldiers. These alarming reports, circulated by Russian pro-war Telegram channels, revealed that eight Russian drone operators suffered severe eye injuries due to the explosions.

In January, aid groups provided around 80 sets of these goggles to the Russian military. The original source was a mysterious donation that was later linked to Ukrainian intelligence. This sabotage operation closely resembles Israeli intelligence’s use of explosive-laden pagers last September and highlights the vulnerability of both military and civilian supply chains to covert action operations.

As governments and other actors assess their supply-chain vulnerabilities, we anticipate that recent examples of supply-chain sabotage will result in shifts in procedures. Proactive measures to shore up supply chain security are essential to guard against physical and cyber threats to players at local, national, and global levels.

Images Sourced From: Toms Hardware, Saint Javelin, The Debrief, 177th Fighter Wing