Russia Tests Balloon Barriers to Snare Ukrainian Drones

Russia has begun testing a novel defense against Ukrainian drones: balloons suspended above the ground and linked by cables designed to snag incoming aircraft. The system, shown this week on Russia’s state-run Rossiya 1 television channel, uses balloons to hold cables in the air. Kevlar strands hang from the cables, creating a barrier intended to entangle a drone’s propeller and send it crashing down.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Russian developers claim the technology is ready for mass production. But protecting a single large facility would require at least 10 balloons, according to the report. The system appears designed not necessarily to stop every drone, but to force them to change course or fly higher to avoid the cables. That could make them easier for Russian radars to detect and air defense systems to engage. The concept is far from new. Balloon barriers, known as barrage balloons, were widely used during World War II to protect cities, ports and other strategic sites from enemy aircraft. By forcing bombers to fly higher, they also reduced the accuracy of bombing. Russia has increasingly experimented with unconventional ways to protect critical infrastructure from Ukraine’s growing drone campaign. Earlier, a Russian chemical industry company launched a tender for balloons to protect its facilities from Ukrainian drone attacks. Balloons take on new roles Balloons are also being adapted for other military purposes. Other Topics of Interest Trump Calls Russia’s Suspected Plague Case a ‘Big Problem’ as Nearly 200 Reportedly Monitored CNN experts raised questions over the Siberian lab, FSB involvement and the scale of quarantine measures after a researcher’s death. Russia’s state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec has developed a balloon equipped with a radio module to extend communications. Raising the equipment above the ground can reduce the impact of terrain on signal quality compared with mobile ground-based stations. Ukraine is also exploring military uses for balloons. Ukrainian developers have proposed using them as platforms to launch drones and missiles. Stratospheric balloons could potentially launch missiles from altitudes of between 12 and 18 kilometers, according to Ukrainian developers. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.