[55643] Russia tries to defend itself: Patrol ships in Crimea equipped with 'barbecues' against drones

Improvised defense in the Black Sea: Russia installs 'barbecues' on patrol ships

In the shadow of growing threats from Ukrainian unmanned surface vehicles (USV), Ukrainian Telegram channels, including STERNENKO and Оперативний ЗСУ, reported that Russian forces have begun installing makeshift defensive structures known as "barbecues" (metal cages) on "Grachonok"-class patrol ships (Project 21980) stationed in occupied Crimea.

According to the channel Бавовна △, which presents a clear pro-Ukrainian stance, the Russian attempt is intended to block the precise strikes of Ukrainian drones on the Black Sea Fleet, but the channel casts doubt on the effectiveness of the move and writes: "It won't help".

Similar reports also appeared on the channels Реальна Війна 18+ and Думки Фронтовика ∆, which emphasize that this is a passive protection measure installed on vessels designed for guard and patrol missions in territorial waters. UKRAINIAN MILITANT added in a mocking tone that "the Grachonok is in a cage", and sarcastically called for the Russians to "weld them well" so that the crews cannot escape when hit.

More official channels in the Ukrainian media, such as ⚔️БРАТЧУК, also confirmed that this is an initiative by the Russian forces for protection against "drone threats." As of now, Moscow has not officially responded to these reports, but the visual documentation circulating on social networks shows the structural changes made to some of the ships anchored in Crimea.