Ukraine’s fiber-optic drones get squeezed by AI data center demand

Ukraine and Russia have expanded the use of fibre-optic drones, which remain controllable through a physical cable and are resistant to electronic jamming. The technology has become important on the battlefield, but rising demand from drone makers and AI data centres is making fibre harder and more expensive to obtain.

Both countries are estimated to produce about 50,000 fibre-optic drones a month, using cable that is generally consumed in operations. China is a major supplier: in August 2025, Russia imported 328,000 miles of fibre-optic cable from China, while Ukraine imported 72 miles, according to figures cited in the article. Russia bought more than 37 million miles worldwide in 2025, over 10 per cent of global production; meanwhile, TrendForce forecast a worldwide shortfall of 111 million miles in 2026.