Russian oblasts are banning the use of civilian drones and the Kremlin is updating public warning systems amid a series of Ukrainian UAV strikes against oil facilities, and an alleged attempt on the life of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We have decided to impose a ban on the launch of unmanned aerial vehicles in the city of Moscow from today, with the exception of UAVs used by decisions of state authorities," Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said Wednesday on Telegram. "The decision was made to prevent unauthorized use of UAVs, which could hamper the work of law enforcement agencies."
Leningrad Oblast Governor Alezander Drozdenko announced a drone ban the same day, adding that soon the province would help equip units from the Internal Affairs Ministry and National Guard of Electronic Warfare with equipment to force drone landings.
Pskov region governor Mikhail Vedernikov also signed a decree for a drone ban on Wednesday, set to come into effect on Friday. saying that it was in line with a previous presidential decree on levels of martial alert within the Russian Federation.
A still image taken from video shows a flying object exploding in an intense burst of light near the dome of the Kremlin Senate building during the alleged Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow, Russia, in this image taken from video obtained by Reuters May 3, 2023 (credit: OSTOROZHNO NOVOSTI/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)A new Russian procedure for the development and reconstruction of a public alert system came into effect on Thursday, according to TASS.
"It is noted that the government is authorized to determine the procedure for the creation, reconstruction and maintenance of public warning systems in a state of constant readiness for use," wrote TASS.
No mention of drone attacks
The Russian media outlet didn't mention drone attacks, instead referring to civil emergencies such as floods.
The drone bans came on the same day that Putin was allegedly the subject of a drone assassination attempt. Video of the incident showed a UAV striking the top of the Kremlin. Russia has accused Ukraine of conducting the strike, which Ukraine has denied.
A Bild report last Thursday claimed that Ukrainian Secret Services attempted to assassinate Putin with a drone, but that it had crashed in an industrial park outside Moscow.
A drone attack set parts of a southern Russian oil refinery ablaze Wednesday night, according to Reuters.
Krasnodar governor Veniamin Kondratyev wrote on Telegram that the fire at the Ilsky oil refinery in the Seversky district was extinguished early Thursday morning, and that there were no casualties. The governor gave no cause for the fire.
"A second restless night for our emergency services," said Kondratyev.
The region's emergency services had put out the fire at an oil reservoir in the village of Volna on Wednesday night. Kondratyev gave no cause for the first fire either, which also resulted in no casualties.
In Leningrad Oblast on Monday, Drozdenko said that a powerline was blown up by an unknown explosive device, but that the power network wasn't disrupted.
Ukraine took responsibility for a Saturday drone strike in Sevastopol, which it said destroyed 10 oil tanks. The Ukrainian Intelligence Directorate said that the oil was intended for Russia's Black Sea Fleet. The service said that the strike was "God's punishment" for the civilians killed in a Russian strike on Uman.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
