Russia turns to World War I-era balloon barriers to shield refineries from drones

Russia has begun using balloon barriers first deployed during World War I to protect its oil refineries from Ukrainian drone attacks, and Defense Express analyzed how viable the system is.

The barrier Russia is using consists of two relatively small balloons with a net of thin cables stretched between them, designed to entangle or destroy drones, the experts said. Defense Express noted that such barriers are intended to be deployed near or directly over important facilities.

The analysts said, however, that these anti-drone barriers have one fundamental problem: drones can easily fly over the net and strike the facility it is meant to protect. To prevent this, Russia has developed a system that uses radar data to determine a drone’s altitude and autonomously adjusts the barrier’s height using cables in an effort to catch the UAV.

It remains unclear whether the system can change altitude quickly enough to intercept maneuvering drones. If several drones attack simultaneously at different altitudes, the system would also be unable to protect the target from all of them, the experts said.

There are also questions about the net itself. During testing, Russia used a small, essentially toy drone. It was significantly smaller than even the smallest Ukrainian long-range drones.

“This raises doubts about whether such a barrier could withstand a collision with a long-range drone traveling at several hundred kilometers per hour and weighing several hundred kilograms, or whether it could stop one at all,” the Defense Express analysis said.

The analysts also said such barriers cannot operate properly in bad weather or strong winds, which could tear them from their positions. Russia currently has several similar balloon-barrier projects underway, but none has achieved notable success and all remain in development, Defense Express reported.

Fire at a Moscow oil refinery after a Ukrainian drone strike on Sept. 20, 2026. (Photo: Social Media/via REUTERS)

Balloon barriers were first used during World War I and became particularly widespread during World War II. One well-known example was Britain’s use of barrage balloons during World War II to protect London from German V-1 cruise missiles. Over the entire period of their use, however, the barriers intercepted only about 5% of the missiles launched.

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