Shokhin admits impossibility of fully protecting Russian industrial giants from drones

Admission of systemic vulnerability

The leader of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), Alexander Shokhin, publicly acknowledged that Russia is unable to provide full air defence for all major industrial facilities. He cited the significant size of these infrastructure complexes as the main reason.

According to Shokhin, many enterprises were designed during the Soviet era with the threat of nuclear war in mind. However, in the context of modern combat operations, such architecture has proven vulnerable to attacks by unmanned aerial vehicles.

The problem of dimensions and communications

The official warned that it is quite difficult to protect industrial complexes that stretch for several kilometres. This applies to metallurgical, chemical and other production facilities built to past standards, which did not account for modern types of threats.

In the USSR, production workshops were located at a significant distance from one another. This approach aimed to preserve at least part of production capacity in the event of a possible nuclear strike.

«Зараз ми розуміємо, що це непогано. Але, з іншого боку, комунікації дуже розтягнуті» ("Now we understand that this is not bad. But on the other hand, the communications are very stretched"), Shokhin complained.

The scale of Ukrainian strikes

It is important to note that Ukrainian strikes are directed not only at Russian oil refineries. Military enterprises, airfields, chemical plants, large data processing centres and other facilities are also targeted.

Last month alone, five oil refineries suspended oil processing due to damage and fires, including the Moscow Oil Refinery.

Government reaction to losses

Recall that in August, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin signed a decree providing for the possibility of transferring enterprises and facilities that become targets of drone attacks to the state.