Russia’s state-owned Rostec corporation announced on Thursday the successful completion of trials for armored plating designed to protect crucial infrastructure from drone attacks, grenades, and bullets. The company revealed that each plate has a weight of 30 kilograms, with potential applications for oil and gas storage facilities, ammunition depots, and vital energy infrastructure.
The plates are engineered to defend against FPV (first-person-view) drones, initially intended for civilian use but now adapted for military purposes. Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russian oil refineries, targeting the second largest oil exporter in the world to reduce Moscow’s energy revenues and military spending.
Russian companies have been actively seeking ways to safeguard infrastructure from these drone attacks, including deploying large meshed metal nets over oil refineries. Additionally, a Russian energy ministry official indicated in March that there are plans to protect oil and gas facilities with missile defense systems.
(Disclaimer: With inputs from agencies.)