Russia Has Decided To Protect Its Oil Refineries Using Airships

• 5.10.2026, 12:29

They were inspired by the experiences of World War I.

Russia continues to seek ways to protect its oil refineries from Ukrainian attacks. This time, the aggressor state has decided to draw on lessons from World War I.

Russia has begun producing balloons that, according to their designers, are intended to “shield” the oil refining infrastructure. State-run propaganda media, particularly the publication “Vesti,” have been touting this “know-how” that dates back more than a century.

Propagandists reported that Russia has begun testing a “method of protecting industrial infrastructure from drone attacks.” This involves balloons connected by cables and special Kevlar cords.

According to Sergey Bendin, head of the Moscow branch of the Russian Geographical Society’s (RGS) Commission on Aeronautics, these protective balloon barriers with nets will primarily shield Russian oil refineries.

Funding for this system was provided by the Russian research and production enterprise “Spetsradio.”

As the publication indicates, the Russians themselves admit that they were “inspired” by the experience of World War I: similar structures were used back then.