Russian Patrol Ship Improvises Using Fencing to Protect Against Drones
In the more than four years since Russia invaded Ukraine in an all-out war, Ukraine has become proficient in drone technology and has frequently reported its use of its systems to attack Russian warships and other critical infrastructure. Ukrainian media this week spotted photos posted on Russian social media showing an improvised solution to add protection to Russian patrol boats.
The pro-Russian site DVA Major posted pictures showing Russian patrol boats “covered in chain-link fencing!” It says that public funding was used to buy the material and that it has been applied to more than one patrol ship.
The area around the bridge was seen draped with the fencing. It has also been applied to the top of the superstructure.
“This solution isn't a panacea. It won't protect against all types of enemy ammunition. But if nothing is done, nothing will happen,” writes DVA Major.
The Ukrainian site Militarnyi studied the pictures, and although the vessel was not named, it believes it has identified the class of ship. It says the structure around the bridge is unique to the Project 22460 patrol ship.
Russia commissioned the first of the vessels in 2009 and uses them for various coastal patrols. The media reports are that four of the vessels are currently based in Crimea, and two more are at Krasnodar Krai.
In February 2026, Ukraine's general staff said it had used drones to hit two border guard ships moored near the town of Inkerman in Crimea, at the easternmost end of Sevastopol Bay. The vessels damaged were Project 22460 Rubin-class fast patrol boats. Further, it was reported that Ukraine had targeted vessels of the same class in December 2025 in the Caspian Sea. Last weekend, Ukraine also reported hitting a different class of patrol ship in Crimea with drones.
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Example of Project 22460 patrol ship - note the structure below the bridge -- Aleksandr Markin photo (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The 22460 patrol boats are fast, with a speed of 25 knots and 650 tons displacement. They are 62.5 meters (205 feet) in length, with reports that they have a crew of 20 and space for 14 additional people.
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Other pictures were recently online of the Russian Project 21980 class, which is used for anti-sabotage operations. One of those vessels also appeared to have been fitted with a similar netting made of fencing to block drones.
It remains to be seen if it is judged an effective protection and if it will appear on other Russian ships.