Russian ruler Vladimir Putin has instructed the Defence Ministry to prepare a course for Russians, both military personnel and volunteers, on using smoothbore weapons to shoot down drones.

Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency TASS

Details: Smoothbore firearms are mainly shotguns of various types, particularly semi-automatic, single-barrelled, double-barrelled, pump-action and those with interchangeable barrels.

Putin also ordered measures to be taken by 1 October to speed delivery of camouflage nets to frontline Russian troops and to tackle the issue of equipping protection against drones on military vehicles used to evacuate wounded soldiers.

In addition, the Kremlin leader instructed officials to examine the issue of sending doctors to frontline hospitals without requiring them to sign a military service contract.

Background: Every day, drones attack Russian defence industry plants, microelectronics and radio-electronics companies of strategic importance for Russian forces, as well as oil refineries. For instance, on the night of 20-21 August, Ukrainian forces struck the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov Oblast.

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