Russian oil tankers and port terminals are adopting anti-drone netting and cages to shield against Ukraine’s escalating drone attacks on Moscow’s energy infrastructure. Footage of the sanctioned tanker Caruzo showed it departing the Black Sea via the Bosphorus with anti-drone nets and stackable water tanks bolted to its sides. Another sanctioned vessel, the Rizvel, was also spotted covered in similar defenses in the Sea of Marmara.

These maritime adaptations mirror land-based tactics in Ukraine, where vehicles are sheathed in spiked cages and nets to deflect first-person-view (FPV) drones. The defenses appear improvised rather than standardized, aiming to create distance between explosions and targets. Shipping analyst Yoruk Isik likened the sight to “Mad Max movies.” Ukraine has intensified its assaults on Russian shipping in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, disrupting oil flows and driving up freight rates.

US Vice-President JD Vance recently urged Kyiv to pause strikes near the Novorossiysk port to safeguard American oil interests. Despite fortifications, Ukrainian forces claim a “unique operation” struck the Novorossiysk naval base, hitting ships and infrastructure. Satellite imagery reveals extensive netting and barge barriers around the base since March 2024.

The conflict continues to reshape both naval warfare and global energy logistics.