Footage from a Russian frontline unit shows an NCO nailing his men's forbidden electronics to a post.

Cell phone use poses all kinds of risks for operational security. Cell phone photos can be geolocated through terrain identification or scraped for location data. We have seen multiple media files of recorded phone conversations of soldiers griping to their loved ones back home, and pro Russian Telegram channels are filled to the brim with Russian troops discussing operations and outcomes. Additionally, digital transmissions can be detected and pinpointed by modern electronic warfare systems, which result in incoming HIMRS strikes.

The crackdown on phones isn't just for security on the warfront, but also for limiting non-approved information to the Russian people regarding the ongoing disaster that is the invasion of Ukraine.

About the Author

Will Killmore

Will Killmore is a US Army combat infantry veteran and Purple Heart recipient. He has deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan with the 172nd Stryker Brigade and 173rd Airborne Brigade. Following his time in service, he successfully pursued a certificate of journalism and has been a blogger for Funker530 since 2014. Follow Will’s bad takes on Twitter