Ukraine is able to locate and destroy targets more quickly in war thanks to satellite imagery, - NYT
Ukrainian UAV units now have access to high-tech satellite imagery, which provides information on the movements and locations of troops in near real time.
The New York Times reports on this in its article, according to Censor.NET.
Details
The publication notes that a year ago, satellite images could take several days to reach troops on the front line due to less advanced technology and a multi-tiered chain of command.
This made it more difficult to strike targets that could change their location – such as military personnel inside a building – using long-range strike drones.
"The rapid delivery of high-quality satellite imagery to troops on the front line is one of the key achievements on the battlefield over the past year. This enables Ukraine to swiftly strike weapons depots, logistics hubs and troop locations deep within territories controlled by Russia, as well as directly on Russian territory," the article states.
In some cases, troops on the front line can operate satellites themselves, quickly analyse imagery to identify targets, and then strike them. Receiving satellite imagery in real time also helps to verify which targets have been hit and, if necessary, to launch a follow-up strike.
"As before, troops still need approval from more experienced commanders to strike targets, which reduces the risk of errors by less experienced pilots. But this process has now been significantly simplified," writes the NYT.
This weapon has enabled Ukraine to intensify its strikes on the occupied Crimea, in particular to destroy the ferry terminals that Russia needs to supply the peninsula, as well as its logistics routes.
Change
The publication notes that Ukraine had been using satellite imagery provided by allied governments and commercial companies to counter Russia even before the full-scale invasion of 2022. However, until recently, this was a scarce resource. Only senior commanders had access to satellite imagery, which they used during strategic planning at the highest level.
"Even this access was limited and vulnerable to disruptions. For example, in March 2025, President Trump ordered the Pentagon to stop providing Ukraine with satellite imagery, although this access was subsequently restored," the authors of the article write.
Over the past year, access to satellite imagery has expanded significantly – it is now provided by the US government and private companies
Vantor, a commercial company that has been working with Ukraine for many years, recently launched six new satellites, bringing their total number to 10. Its satellites can now cover up to seven million square kilometres of the Earth’s surface every day – enough to scan the Ukrainian battlefield multiple times, said Will Kokos, the company’s director of transformation.
Satellites can take images of the same area up to 15 times a day, helping the military to detect subtle changes in the terrain that may indicate potential Russian targets.
"You can get your photos in as little as 15 minutes, although it usually takes up to a few hours. This is still a huge improvement compared to the recent past, when it sometimes took days to get them.
"Commercial satellite companies maintain vast archives of images taken at various times, enabling field commanders to study subtle changes in the environment – tracks in a field, fallen trees, recently cleared areas – which may indicate a hidden target," the journalists added.
