Satellite images show Russia put up anti-drone nets to protect its fuel tanks. A Ukrainian attack punched through.
Business Insider
February 19, 2026
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Ukraine launched a long-range drone attack on Wednesday night targeting a Russian oil depot in Velikiye Luki, located in western Russia's Pskov region. Despite the installation of anti-drone netting over fuel tanks at the facility, which belongs to Pskovnefteproduct, the defensive measure failed to stop the strike. Satellite imagery from December 2025 revealed the presence of anti-drone netting covering approximately 15 tanks, but the attack still caused several explosions and a large fire at the site.
The use of anti-drone netting has become a common improvised defense tactic for both Russia and Ukraine near critical infrastructure and front-line operations. Ukrainian forces have been employing similar netting to protect their logistics routes, while Russian forces have even gone as far as installing floating barriers to safeguard their ports from naval drones. The attack on the Velikiye Luki depot highlights the growing sophistication of Ukraine's deep-strike campaigns against Russia's energy sector, which is a key source of revenue and essential for Moscow's war efforts.
The incident underscores the ongoing battle between the two sides over control of energy infrastructure. For Ukraine, targeting such facilities is seen as an effective way to weaken Russia's military capabilities by disrupting its fuel supply chain. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has been methodically targeting oil depots and other critical energy installations, aiming to limit Russia's ability to conduct combat operations and resupply its forces. This strategic focus on energy infrastructure is part of Ukraine's broader effort to systematically weaken Russia's military potential.
The attack also raises concerns about the effectiveness of anti-drone defenses in protecting high-value targets. While netting and other improvised measures may slow down or disrupt some attacks, they appear insufficient against determined adversaries like Ukraine's elite units, such as the SBU's Alpha group, which carried out this strike. Meanwhile, Russia
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Originally published on Business Insider on 2/19/2026