Unit to combat drones created in St Petersburg: snipers on rooftops and patrols
The police of St Petersburg, Russia, have created an anti-drone unit responsible for "air safety" during mass events.
Source: Russian RBC, referring to the police press service
Details: Police report that the group includes mobile patrols that will detain drone operators, shooters with sniper rifles and carbines, and technical teams that will suppress drones with special equipment.
As the police officers note, the new unit primarily recruited police officers who had been on business trips to the territories of Ukraine occupied after 24 February.
The unit started its work on 9 May. The police press service claims that five sniper pairs and two groups with anti-drone electromagnetic rifles were deployed on the roofs of buildings in the city centre. Several ground posts were involved. Mobile units also patrolled the streets.
Background:
- The Kremlin’s press service has claimed that Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles "attempted to launch an attack" on "the Kremlin residence of Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia". Ukrainian officials deny any involvement in the drone attack. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine "is not attacking Putin or Moscow".
- In addition, over the past month, drones have attacked a number of Russian oil depots, refinery airfields, and other facilities.
- Against the background of the attacks, the Russian authorities began to ban the use of drones in the regions. By 11 May, about 50 regions of Russia had introduced bans on the use of UAVs.
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