Russian firms to fund air defenses amid drone attacks

The head of Russia’s most powerful business lobby has told President Vladimir Putin that Russian companies are ready to fund the purchase of heavier weapons and electronic systems to protect their facilities from drone attacks.

The proposal follows a surge in Ukrainian drone attacks this year, which have targeted Russian industry, including oil refineries, storage facilities, fertiliser plants, and ports, News.Az reports, citing The Independent.

According to remarks posted on the Kremlin's official website, Alexander Shokhin said that companies require "not only light weapons of 7.62 caliber, but also larger ones, including various electronic warfare systems, laser installations and other calibers".

He added: "Businesses are ready to finance all this work, but a mechanism is needed where financing schemes are clear. This could be a fund of some sort or another form of targeted financing."

The government has already authorised private security companies guarding industrial sites to use 7.62 calibre automatic rifles, such as the AK-47, and allowed reservists to be drafted into local protection units.

However, Mr Shokhin complained to Mr Putin that, despite the decision to use reservists, these units were being shifted between sites too often, weakening their defences.

He also requested a deferral of penalties for companies facing delays in tax and other payments to the state budget while they repair facilities damaged during the attacks.

Meanwhile, Russia said on Monday that it intended to launch "systematic strikes" on targets in Kyiv linked to the Ukrainian military as well as decision-making centres, and urged foreigners to leave, a day after one of its heaviest bombardments of the city since the start of the war.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli