Russian military units are being deployed to protect industrial facilities from Ukrainian drones — FT

Against the backdrop of an increasing number of attacks by Ukrainian drones, Russian businesses are trying to strengthen the security of their facilities on their own. 

Companies are entering into agreements with nearby military units, some of whose personnel are effectively focused on guarding factories.

A former top manager at Rosneft told the Financial Times about this. According to him, large businesses are forced to negotiate with the army and the Russian National Guard, as the “Pantsir” air defense systems and drone-suppression equipment can only be used by companies under military supervision.

The protection of Russian facilities is already visible in satellite images. Anti-drone nets and reinforced concrete structures are being installed at military airfields, oil refineries, and power plants. According to a former Ukrainian military officer from the Frontelligence Insight group, the closer a facility is located to Ukraine, the more sophisticated its defense system becomes.

In late August, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing for the imposition of temporary control over critical infrastructure facilities if their protection against drones is deemed insufficient.

A former Kremlin official told the FT that this decision came after security forces demanded that companies take greater responsibility for security. According to him, the authorities are effectively forcing businesses to invest more of their own funds in protecting their facilities.

Source: Financial Times

Earlier, the Kremlin responded to a proposal for a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin at the G20.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has not yet made a decision regarding his participation in the G20 summit and, consequently, regarding a meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy.