Russians have developed a system to protect refineries from Ukrainian drones
Russia has unveiled the “Pavutina” system, designed to protect oil storage facilities, fuel terminals, and power substations from drone attacks. However, given the system’s design, a logical question arises: if it’s enough to hit just a few support beams, won’t the entire “web” collapse on its own?
The company “RT — Project Technologies” stated that the system is already undergoing trial operation at a number of facilities in the fuel and energy sector.
The system consists of a set of modular metal structures that form a protective mesh shell around the facility. In its basic configuration, the system is reportedly capable of withstanding a direct hit from a drone weighing up to 200 kg and traveling at speeds of up to 250 km/h.
“Spiderweb” can be used for facilities of various scales, including structures over 25 meters tall and areas of any size. The structure consists of load-bearing columns, a load-bearing mesh, and supports, and all elements are connected with bolts—no welding required.
At the same time, it is precisely the bolted connections and the entire system’s reliance on load-bearing structures that already raise quite a few questions. After all, if the key elements holding up the mesh—rather than the mesh itself—are hit, “Spiderweb” could turn into nothing more than scrap metal. And if a strike hits the beams directly, there’s a risk that the entire structure will collapse on itself, just like the Russian budget after yet another attack on an oil refinery.
The developer claims that the system is suitable for protecting oil storage facilities, fuel terminals, power substations, warehouses, and other critical infrastructure from drones. The project was developed by “RT—Project Technologies,” a company within the Rostec Group.
This is reported by Russian propaganda media.
As a reminder, the Ministry of Defense is stepping up anti-drone defenses along frontline routes.
A cloud of smoke from burning Wildberries warehouses and an oil depot blanketed the Moscow region.
On the night of July 18, Ukrainian UAVs attacked the Russian Wildberries logistics center in Elektrostal, near Moscow, and in the Tombovsk region.
On July 18, Ukrainian drones struck 13 Russian ships in the Azov and Black Seas.
