Russian sources report Ukrainian troops now have 'excellent' night vision optics supplied by the West, giving them a tactical edge in the counteroffensive, says think tank

• Ukraine may have "tactical advantages" during nighttime assaults due to new equipment, per the ISW.
• Ukraine's armed forces have "intensified" night assaults in recent days, Russian sources claimed.
• The sources also reported on the superiority of Russia's electronic-warfare capabilities.

Ukrainian forces may have "tactical advantages" during night assaults thanks to new Western-donated equipment that comes with "superior night optics systems," Russian sources have claimed, per a report by the Institute for the Study of War.

A Russian military blogger claimed that Ukrainian forces now have "excellent" night-vision optics, which has encouraged them to carry out more nighttime assaults in the ongoing counteroffensive, according to the report.

Vladimir Rogov, a Zaporizhzhia Oblast occupation official, said that night strikes gave the Ukrainian military a tactical edge the report says.

Ukrainian troops have been reinforced with high-tech Western-made weapons and military equipment in the buildup to the country's long-anticipated counteroffensive, which began this week.

"Disrupting Ukrainian attacks"

Despite its Western-backed arsenal, it is a particularly dangerous time for Ukraine's armed forces, Insider recently reported.

ISW's report also said that Russian sources have said that Russia's electronic-warfare superiority was "key to disrupting Ukrainian attacks," adding that it had improved its use of electronic warfare over the course of the invasion.

Russian military bloggers claimed that the electronic-warfare units were fracturing Ukrainian communications and aviation units, per the ISW report.

The electronic-warfare systems are also affecting Ukrainian drone capabilities, with Ukraine losing 10,000 drones a month to the systems, which interfere with their navigation, Insider recently reported.

A sophisticated electronic-warfare system is one of Russia's key strengths, researchers have said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed at a press conference on Saturday that the Ukrainian counteroffensive had started, adding that his top commanders were in a "positive" mindset, per the Associated Press.

Ukraine's General Staff said that "heavy battles" continued, especially in eastern Ukraine, AP reported.