Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region

History

2023: Anti-Drone Unit Set Up

A special department has appeared in the St. Petersburg police, responsible for ensuring safety in the air during mass events. The press service of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region announced this on May 12, 2023.

The unit operates mobile patrols to detain drone operators, a group of snipers with rifles and carbines, as well as special technical groups using technical means to suppress and neutralize drones. The new unit primarily included police officers who were on business trips to the DPR, LPR, Kherson or Zaporizhzhya regions.

St. Petersburg police created a unit to combat drones

The new division debuted on May 9, 2023 during the Victory Day celebrations. The calm sky was provided by 5 sniper pairs and 2 groups with anti-drone electromagnetic guns placed on the roofs of buildings in the central part of the city. Additional surveillance was provided by several ground posts, and mobile squads patrolled the streets to identify UAV operators. The result of the work of the unit with the assistance of colleagues from other "law enforcement" departments was the absence of incidents on a holiday, the regional Ministry of Internal Affairs said.

The department said that special electronic equipment for suppressing and neutralizing drones, taken into service by the police, was previously tested on various types of UAVs and showed its effectiveness.

The use of any UAV and other aircraft is carried out by receiving state a service for use and is agreed in the transport committee of St. Petersburg. As of May 3, 2023, the number of users of unmanned aerial vehicles with the right to fly over the city is about 20, TASS the press service of the city administration reported.^[1]

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