Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The nets work as protection against Russian drones.
As Russian drone attacks continue to expand in both scope and reache, Ukraine is moving to harden its front lines
The effort comes as Russian drone attacks continue to expand in scope and reach.
Road shield drive
According to Reuters, Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Wednesday, that the country plans to speed up the installation of anti-drone nets over key roads near combat zones,
Before the end of the year, Kyiv aims to cover 4,000 kilometres of roads.
The nets are designed to protect military supply lines and nearby communities from remotely piloted aircraft, as Russia has been striking supply routes and rear bases deeper inside Ukrainian territory.
Drones have also hit hospitals, infrastructure and civilian vehicles.
Funding boost
Fedorov said more resources are being directed to the project. An additional 1.6 billion hryvnias, about $37 million, has been allocated from the state budget to strengthen defences against Russian drones.
The nets are intended to trap drone propellers, preventing them from reaching intended targets such as equipment, troops or civilians.
“In just one month, we increased the speed from 5 km per day in January to 12 km in February. This significantly improved the safety of military movements and ensured stable functioning of frontline communities,” Fedorov said on the Telegram app.
According to a report from Logistics Cluster, Ukraine has a total of 169,000 kilometers of highway alone.
Expansion plans
The pace is expected to accelerate further in the coming weeks.
“In March, we plan to close 20 km of roads per day. By the end of the year, we plan to install another 4,000 km of anti-drone protection on roads,” Fedorov said.
He added that Ukraine would also speed up the construction of fortifications in the northeastern Kharkiv and Sumy regions, as well as in the northern Chernihiv region, all of which border Russia.
Sources: Reuters
