Russia wraps Pacific nuclear subs in anti‑drone nets

Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- Russian Navy has installed fine anti‑drone netting around two nuclear‑powered Borei‑class submarines at its Rybachiy base on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
- Vantor satellite imagery shows the netting covering the entire hulls of a Pr.955 Borei and a newer Pr.955A Borei‑A submarine.
- The base, located about 7,400 km (4,600 mi) east of Ukraine, houses submarines that each carry 16 RSM‑56 Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles.
- Similar anti‑drone cages have already been fitted to Russian warships in the Black Sea, Baltic, and Arctic, indicating a broader shift to protect vessels from small FPV quadcopters.
Why it matters: The Russian Navy must now allocate funds and crew time to install and maintain netting on its Pacific nuclear fleet, raising operational costs and signaling that Ukraine’s drone reach is prompting costly defensive upgrades.


