Along Ukraine-Belarus border, a war of nerves — and drones

By SAMYA KULLAB
Associated Press

BELARUS BORDER, Ukraine (AP) — On the Belarusian border, Ukrainian units are using drones to monitor a long expanse of marsh and woodland for a possible surprise offensive from the north. That would be a repeat of the unsuccessful Russian thrust toward Kyiv at the start of the war nearly a year ago. Even though military experts and Western intelligence have played down the possibility of a renewed northern offensive, the Ukrainians are taking no chances. Since the summer they have been reinforcing defenses, building and expanding trenches and laying mines in the forest ahead of the springtime offensive military officials expect. Unlike the east with its devastating artillery duels, here in the north it’s largely a war of quadcopters.