Russia to Let Postal Workers Carry Anti-Drone Weapons
Russia's government has expanded its list of approved weapons to include anti-drone equipment for postal service employees, following a summer surge in Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian infrastructure.
The Russian government has authorized employees of the federal postal service to carry special anti-drone weapons as Ukraine continues to intensify its strikes across the country. An official list of approved weapons, ammunition and special equipment has been expanded to include "special technical means of countering unmanned aerial, underwater and surface vessels and vehicles, autonomous land vehicles and other automated unmanned systems."
A government decree dating back to 2005 already permits postal employees to carry 9mm pistols, stun guns and body armor, typically issued to security staff responsible for transporting cash. The updated decree was signed last Thursday by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. It does not specify which categories of Russian Post employees will actually receive the new anti-drone equipment.
The move follows a marked increase in Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian infrastructure over the summer, targeting oil refineries as well as warehouses and logistics facilities belonging to major online retailers Wildberries and Ozon. These attacks are reported to have driven a 560% rise in commercial purchases of anti-drone defense systems in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier.
Last month, President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order permitting the state to seize critical infrastructure facilities found to be inadequately protected against Ukrainian strikes and other threats. Putin has since insisted the order is unrelated to any plans to nationalize private property.
