Russian tankers under sanctions have begun to be protected with nets from drones

Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea are increasingly being equipped with home-made protection against drones.

This is reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Since August, at least 60 tankers have passed through the Bosphorus with protective nets, metal cages and rubber tires. Almost all of these vessels are under sanctions by the United States and other Western countries for transporting Russian oil.

According to military analysts, the nets are installed over the most vulnerable parts of the vessels.

Analysts attribute the appearance of such protection to the increase in the number of attacks on vessels involved in the transportation of Russian oil. Separately, experts note that some of these tankers operate outside the usual international insurance and regulatory mechanisms and often depend on Russian financial institutions. Attacks on vessels can put additional pressure on their insurance and financing systems.

WSJ also notes that the Black Sea is increasingly turning into a separate theater of drone warfare: Russia is intensifying strikes on Ukrainian ports and shipping, and Ukraine continues to attack Russian maritime and energy targets.

Earlier, Ukraine imposed sanctions against another 39 vessels of the Russian “shadow fleet”.