The Economist published a "sensational" claim that Russian Shaheds are now allegedly "controlled via Telegram bots." However, a Ukrainian military radio technology expert and consultant known by the call sign Serhii Flesh debunked this myth by Western media.
https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/05/25/russia-is-raining-hellfire-on-ukraine
https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/05/25/russia-is-raining-hellfire-on-ukraine
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Comments
How/Why Telegram enters the discussion is strange as I see no use or benefit from it unless you want to disseminate that data to a larger audience.
I imagine the most effective counter would be some sort of selective IMSI jammer device.
You'd have built-in encryption, efficient streaming compression and encoding, simultaneous smartphone and laptop control.
Telegram is essentially Russian with a lot of capable developers.
I don't find the claim outlandish.
It doesn't require encryption, compression, or any for of encoding.
It would take 5-10 minutes if you have any high-level coding competence.
Most people still prefer to use a hammer.
Telegram has built-in "get location" service 👇 used to locate friends. It uses the visited network Location Based Services.
So, it is precise and real time (better than jammable GPS + satellite).
Are you really sure you want to press that claim?
You can perfectly report IMU, GPS and LBS data to the host using your own socket or Telegram's OTT socket.
You're claim is: "I would do it differently!"
How does that prove how the Russians do it?
Did you have access to that secret note?