And an animation that appeared on Twitter showing how it works. Devices called cell-site simulators mimic a phone mast. And are stationed inside drones and trucks. Once in the area of the battlefield, the simulators pick up the signals of nearby mobile phones
According to Sky news “Simulators trick the phones into connecting with several masts in a given area by measuring the strength and direction of the signal for each phone and mast.”
A Russian military commission is investigating what happened and promises to punish any “guilty” officials.
In a video address, Lieutenant General Sergei Sevryukov claims that it is likely that Russian troops use of cell phones is to blame. And that the cell phones were tracked and gave away the location of the base to Ukrainian forces.
But some critics have said the military is trying to shift the blame, and Russian military correspondents have accused commanders of incompetence.
