Russian oil tankers add nets and steel cages against Ukrainian drones

Updated 17 August 2026, 14:30 CEST — BLACK SEA — Russian-operated oil tankers had appeared by Monday with nets and steel cages fitted around exposed sections of their decks, according to imagery reported by HLN and previously shown by Russia-24. The structures are intended to obstruct Ukrainian drones, but their effectiveness has not been independently established and no Russian authority has announced a fleet-wide protection programme.

The improvised defences resemble the so-called cope cages already fitted to Russian armoured vehicles and some patrol boats. The War Zone reported in May that a Russian patrol craft had received a screen above its superstructure as protection against airborne drones. The tanker adaptations extend that low-cost response to commercial shipping, where crews face the added dangers of fire, hazardous cargo and restricted visibility.

The changes follow a sharp expansion of Ukraine’s campaign against Russian maritime logistics. Ukraine’s Security Service said its naval drones struck the tankers Louise 1 and Banda in the Black Sea on 16 July. The Kyiv Independent reported that both vessels belonged to Russia’s sanctions-evading shadow fleet, although the wartime damage claims were not independently verified.

Ukraine says these attacks reduce oil revenue and disrupt fuel supplies to Russian forces and occupied Crimea. Russia describes the wider campaign against its energy network as an attempt to damage the economy. AP reported on 13 August that Ukrainian drones had hit four Russian refineries in three days, while Russian regional officials confirmed fires or casualties at some industrial sites.

The contest now reaches beyond individual ships. Nets and cages force attackers to change approach, while repeated strikes require Russia to spend more on escorts, repairs and port protection. They also raise environmental and navigational risks in the Black Sea if a loaded tanker is breached.

Belgium enters the story mainly through EU policy. The Council of the EU, headquartered in Brussels, added 41 vessels to its sanctions list on 23 July, bringing the stated total to 673, and said the shadow fleet threatens maritime safety, trade and undersea infrastructure.

Investigators will watch whether the protective structures spread across more tankers and whether verified strike footage shows them stopping drones. The ownership, location and cargo status of every vessel shown in the latest images remain unclear.