Intercepts Reveal Russian Struggles To Defend Ukraine Drone, Missile Attacks

Intercepted communications reveal that Russia is struggling to defend critical infrastructure against Ukrainian long range drone and missile attacks. 

Over 1,000 vulnerability assessments remain unfulfilled. And while a majority of the protective equipment comes from China, it frequently does not meet stated performance standards and/or is installed incorrectly, rendering it useless. JL

Defense Express reports:

Russia is employing various air defense systems - including netting and balloons - to protect oil and other critical infrastructure but continues to face a range of challenges. Between 60 and 80% of civilian industrial enterprises are now equipped with systems to counter long-range drone attacks (though) over 1,000 unfilled requests have been submitted for assessments of critical infrastructure vulnerability. Defensive measures include physical nets and shelters, as well as anti-aircraft guns, interceptor drones, and laser technologies. A significant portion of the protection is imported from China. (But) the systems often do not meet their performance specifications and is frequently installed incorrectly.

Russia is employing both netting and various air defense systems to protect its oil depots and other critical infrastructure, but it continues to face a range of challenges

Ukraine is expanding the production of long-range weapons to strike targets directly on russian territory. At the same time, according to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (FISU), russia is actively developing its anti-drone defense market. It is reported that between 60 and 80 percent of civilian industrial enterprises are now equipped with various systems designed to counter long-range drone attacks.

These measures include physical defenses such as nets and shelters, as well as kinetic systems like anti-aircraft guns, interceptor drones, and even laser-based technologies.

 

According to the FISU, a significant portion of the equipment used to protect russian facilities is imported from China, although official documents often list russia as the manufacturer.

 

Primarily, enterprises in russia’s fuel and energy sector are acquiring anti-drone systems, for obvious reasons - namely, the sustained series of successful Ukrainian strikes on oil depots and refineries.

At the same time, the FISU notes that russia faces two major challenges in organizing these defenses. First, the systems often do not meet their declared performance specifications. Second, the protective equipment is frequently installed incorrectly at the sites.

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It is also noted that currently, over a thousand requests have been submitted for assessments of the vulnerability of industrial and critical infrastructure sites.

Overall, as Ukrainian drone strikes on russian oil facilities intensify, the enemy is trying to bolster its defensive measures. Last year, proposals were even made to use barrage balloons as a protective solution.

There have also been reports of attempts to establish an “integrated zonal radar system” known as Sfera, intended to defend against long-range strike drones.