State Duma To Russians: Defend Yourselves, Buy Air Defenses

The Russian army cannot close the airspace from drone attacks.

The Russian authorities have admitted their inability to protect the country's critical infrastructure from Ukrainian attacks. Given the size of the country, "there is always a loophole" for a drone to deliver a strike against the territory, Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Defense Committee of the State Duma, said.

In this regard, he proposes Russian corporations themselves to buy anti-aircraft defense systems to combat drones, because the Defense Ministry funds "are focused on protection of critical state and military objects". The deputy says such a business contribution to security would protect oil depots, gas distribution stations, power plants, bridges, overpasses and factories.

"There are fairly inexpensive drone countermeasures that every self-respecting corporation can buy and install at their facilities," Karatpolov said.

He also notes that information about already existing air defense systems, including their parameters, is already known to the Ukrainian military because they have reconnaissance facilities; in addition, such data is provided to them by NATO countries. "That is, they know approximately where our air defense facilities are, and it is quite possible to launch a drone along the route so that it avoids not only the terrain, but also bypassing these air defense areas," Kartapolov noted.

The deputy believes it is necessary to force Russian businessmen to buy anti-drone systems on a permanent basis, even in case of the end of the war in Ukraine. According to him, air defense systems will be useful in the future "to counter terrorists".

On February 28, Russian regions were hit by the largest drone attack since the beginning of the war, which affected territories hundreds of kilometers from the front line. Drones were spotted in the Bryansk and Belgorod Regions, areas directly bordering Ukraine, as well as in the Leningrad Region and Krasnodar Krai. Another drone packed with explosives crashed in the village of Gubastovo near Moscow. It turned out to be a UJ-22 Airborne strike UAV of the Ukrainian manufacturer UkrJet. It could cover the distance from Gubastovo to the center of Moscow - about 95 km - in about 40 minutes.