Russia could significantly improve the accuracy of strikes deep inside Ukrainian territory by deploying a new navigation system called Ariadna, which operates without satellites, according to Sergey Beskrestnov, an adviser to Zelensky on defense technology development.

Beskrestnov said information about the project first emerged in December 2025. The development was not abandoned and has continued to advance. According to him, Russia is now considering installing Ariadna on both Geran drones and guided aerial bombs.

The system relies on a network of ground-based stations acting as radio beacons. They transmit signals to receivers installed aboard aircraft, allowing their position to be calculated from differences in signal arrival times from three separate ground points.

This approach eliminates the need for satellite navigation entirely. Electronic warfare systems are also said to be ineffective against this method of determining a weapon’s position.

According to Russia’s NTI Foundation, Ariadna can provide positioning accuracy of 15–20 centimeters. Its developers claim the technology is eight times more accurate than GPS while also providing protection against spoofed navigation signals and deliberate interference.

Beskrestnov said the system could allow Russian drones to operate as far as 100 kilometers inside Ukrainian territory despite electronic interference. In his assessment, this would make it possible to strike a significant part of Ukraine’s frontline regions with extremely high accuracy.

Ariadna is also being developed for civilian applications. The technology could be used for autonomous cargo transportation along so-called drone highways, as well as in agriculture and for coordinating drone swarms.

Plans also call for the system to be introduced at one of Russia’s largest agricultural and industrial complexes.