A a package of new laws and security measures adopted in Russia to strengthen domestic defense against drone attacks and sabotage operations linked to Ukraine. This was revealed by an article in the Guardian which stated that, almost four years after the start of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine – which Moscow believes will last several weeks – Russian territory is attacked almost daily by drones aimed at energy infrastructure, while operations claimed by the Ukrainian secret service have led to the removal of high-ranking officers far from the front line. This attacks deep into Russian territoryhighlights british newspapers, they have highlighting the country’s vulnerabilities.
From backup to SIM blackout, Moscow’s anti-drone countermeasures
To strengthen the protection of critical places, President Vladimir Putin signed the decree in early Novemberwhich did not receive much coverage in the media, which authorized the deployment of reserve troops for surveillance of sensitive facilities, including refineries, which are increasingly being targeted by Ukrainian drones, whose attacks have also caused fuel prices to rise.
This move allows the Kremlin to mobilize a pool of about two million reserves without resorting to new general mobilization, a highly unpopular measure. Reserve members receive a year’s training and a monthly stipend to remain in the active reserve, but so far have not been involved in combat except on a voluntary basis.
Russian authorities have stepped up protection in areas considered the most sensitive for leaders, positioning a a network of air defense systems around Putin’s residence in Valdai, an isolated and fortified complex in northwestern Russiaand in the Rublyovka area, a residential area of Moscow where the country’s political and economic elite lives.
Despite the security tightening – described by Russian sources as one of the most significant ever implemented – the Kremlin continues to face problems difficulties in ensuring adequate levels of protection for refineries, energy plants and industrial facilities distributed throughout Russia.
In addition to physical protection of these sites, authorities also implemented physical protection steps to electronically inhibit Ukrainian drones. Starting November 10, mobile phones of users returning from abroad will be automatically deactivated for 24 hours: a SIM card ‘waiting period’ to prevent drones from exploiting civilian networks to transmit telemetry, video or control signals, a technique used in past Ukrainian operations.
However, the restrictions have caused confusion and discomfort among those returning to the country, while in the Pskov region – on the border with Latvia and Estonia – some residents reported that their connections were blocked by mistake.
Meanwhile Moscow also has one tightening penalties for sabotage. In recent weeks, sanctions reaching up to life imprisonment have been introduced and the minimum age of criminal responsibility for these crimes has been lowered from 18 to 14 years. Putin has signed a law providing for life imprisonment for those who involve minors in acts of sabotage. The Kremlin claims that Kiev funded and coordinated this operation, including through the recruitment of Russian teenagers.
“Russia it accustoms the population to a prolonged semi-military existence and urge society to prepare for greater sacrifices as the war drags on,” commented Andrei Kolesnikov, a Moscow-based independent political analyst.
