Russia's 'shadow fleet' uses nets and buses to defend against drones - The Wall Street Journal. Almost every day since August, Russian oil tankers have emerged from the Black Sea here in Istanbul and sailed along the Bosphorus, displaying nets, cages, rubber tires, and other anti-drone countermeasures. At least 60 ships equipped with anti-drone capabilities have passed through the Bosphorus since August, according to vessel images analyzed by the Wall Street Journal and provided by Yoruk Isik, an Istanbul-based ship observer and maritime analyst. Isik, who heads the Bosphorus Observer consulting firm, photographed the vessels, almost all of which are under sanctions by the United States and other Western nations for carrying Russian oil. Metal cages originally appeared as a means to protect Russian and Ukrainian military vehicles from small drones. In recent years, the IDF has also used them to defend against FPV drones used by Lebanese Hezbollah and militants in the Gaza Strip. "It looks like Kharkiv. It's like the nets they put on the front line," said Eric Woods, an independent security analyst and longtime Russia watcher. The nets hanging from Russian oil tankers appear to be an improvised measure hastily installed to protect the most vulnerable parts of the vessels, such as engine components, according to military analysts who reviewed the images for the WSJ. Another technique is hanging rubber tires from the deck to protect the engine and steering—a primitive way to prevent a drone from crashing into the boat and causing a failure. "This is further clear proof that the Russian navy has lost control in the Black Sea," Isik said. The "shadow fleet" exposes a specific vulnerable point in the Russian financial system.

Russia's 'shadow fleet' uses nets and buses to defend against drones - The Wall Street Journal. Almost every day since August, Russian oil tankers have emerged from the Black Sea here in Istanbul and sailed along the Bosphorus, displaying nets, cages, rubber tires, and other anti-drone countermeasures. At least 60 ships equipped with anti-drone capabilities have passed through the Bosphorus since August, according to vessel images analyzed by the Wall Street Journal and provided by Yoruk Isik, an Istanbul-based ship observer and maritime analyst. Isik, who heads the Bosphorus Observer consulting firm, photographed the vessels, almost all of which are under sanctions by the United States and other Western nations for carrying Russian oil. Metal cages originally appeared as a means to protect Russian and Ukrainian military vehicles from small drones. In recent years, the IDF has also used them to defend against FPV drones used by Lebanese Hezbollah and militants in the Gaza Strip. "It looks like Kharkiv. It's like the nets they put on the front line," said Eric Woods, an independent security analyst and longtime Russia watcher. The nets hanging from Russian oil tankers appear to be an improvised measure hastily installed to protect the most vulnerable parts of the vessels, such as engine components, according to military analysts who reviewed the images for the WSJ. Another technique is hanging rubber tires from the deck to protect the engine and steering—a primitive way to prevent a drone from crashing into the boat and causing a failure. "This is further clear proof that the Russian navy has lost control in the Black Sea," Isik said. The "shadow fleet" exposes a specific vulnerable point in the Russian financial system.