Russia turns to ‘volunteer patrols’ following drone attacks on Il-76s in Pskov – UK intel
In response to a shortage of professional personnel, Russian security services have deployed “volunteers” to safeguard airfields in Pskov Oblast against drone attacks, a recent report from the UK Ministry of Defense’s Defense Intelligence reads.
The UK experts noted to the decision of the
governor of Russia’s Pskov Oblast, which shares a border with Estonia, to
organize “volunteer security patrols” aimed at preventing further drone attacks
on the oblast’s Kresty airbase.
Local authorities report that as many as
800 Russians have volunteered to take part in such “patrols.”
The initiative emerged following the
discovery on the night of Aug. 29-30 that at least two Il-76 transport planes
had been damaged due to drone attacks. UK intelligence indicates that
quadcopters were employed in the attack, and given their limited range, it is
highly likely that the attack originated from within Russia itself.
The newly-formed “patrols,” each comprising
50 individuals, will be responsible for security across various regions,
including patrolling border areas and safeguarding critical infrastructure,
such as airports and airbases.
The establishment of these “volunteer
security patrols” is believed to serve as a deterrent and provide a certain
level of defense against quadcopter drones operated in close proximity to
airbases, according to UK intelligence.
However, analysts emphasize that previous
experience has shown that it is quite challenging to neutralize UAVs with small
arms. Therefore, “Russian forces will still require air-defense systems, with a
surveillance capability and both kinetic and electronic means of interception,
to destroy attacking UAVs.”
“The use of volunteers highly likely
indicates a shortage of trained security personnel within Russia,” the UK experts
concluded.
During the night of Aug. 30, there were reports
of explosions near Pskov airport. Later, Andrii Yusov, spokesman for the
Ukrainian Ministry of Defense’s Main Intelligence Directorate, confirmed the
destruction of four Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft at the site.
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