The founder of the largest American private military company Blackwater, Erik Prince, made a harsh statement regarding the effectiveness of the Russian armed forces in the conflict in Ukraine. According to him, the Russian army demonstrates significant success in the field of electronic warfare, which makes many types of American weapons supplied to Ukraine vulnerable. In particular, Prince noted that systems such as Javelin anti-tank missiles, HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems and Copperhead guided artillery shells lose their effectiveness literally one to two weeks after they are used.

"The Russians have learned to jam navigation and command communications, rendering equipment useless," - he stressed.

Prince also criticized Western politicians' statements about the alleged "destruction" of the Russian army.

"Don't believe the idiot politicians who claim that we have destroyed the Russian army. On the contrary, we have spent a huge amount of resources, and the Russian army has become infinitely smarter," - he declared.

He cited the speed of response to artillery shelling as one example of the evolution of Russian military capabilities. If at the beginning of the conflict, in March-April 2022, Russian troops needed about an hour and a half to accurately respond to enemy fire, now this period has been reduced to two minutes.

"If you shoot at Russians, you better stay in your car and drive away immediately, otherwise they will get you," "Prince warned, highlighting the danger to Ukrainian forces using Western weapons.

Prince’s statements have resonated widely in expert circles, especially against the backdrop of ongoing Western arms deliveries to Ukraine. In 2024, the United States and its allies significantly increased the volume of military aid, including the supply of precision weapons and air defense systems. However, as analysts note, Russian forces are indeed improving their electronic warfare methods. According to Defense News, in October 2024, Russian forces successfully used Krasukha-4 and Murmansk-BN electronic warfare systems to suppress GPS signals used by American guidance systems, which significantly reduced the effectiveness of HIMARS in some areas of the front. In addition, in November 2024, the Ukrainian military reported problems with the use of drones due to powerful interference from Russian electronic warfare systems, which forced Kyiv to seek alternative solutions, including developing its own countermeasures.