Russian soldiers fight drones with shotguns and acrobatics
The Russian Ministry of Defence showcased a recording of anti-drone training for soldiers before being deployed to Ukraine. Instead of operating mobile electronic warfare systems, only shotguns, rifle throwing, and acrobatics are seen in use.
Russian television demonstrated how soldiers practise combating drones. In the recording below, no advanced systems are visible, and the sole defence is a soldier armed with a shotgun. In addition, evasive acrobatics and rifle throwing, theoretically intended to destroy an FPV drone in the final few metres, are also practised.
Russian anti-drone school — circus rather than actual training
One benefit of the Russian anti-drone school is that it helps soldiers become accustomed to drone activity and develop the ability to identify the flight direction by sound. Another sensible aspect is training with a smoothbore shotgun, a highly effective tool capable of shooting down drones even from a distance of approximately 30-40 metres.
The Russians possess interesting semi-automatic Saiga-12 or Vepr-12 shotguns. These guns are fed from interchangeable box or drum magazines with capacities of ten or twenty rounds, respectively. These designs, weighing about 4 kilograms when equipped with muzzle brakes and collimator sights, are quite effective weapons.
The same cannot be said about throwing a rifle at a drone, which, even if destroyed 2 metres away from the Russian, is likely to be fatal regardless. FPV drones usually carry bomblets or fragmentation grenades whose lethal shrapnel range is several times greater. Only immense luck and a robust bulletproof vest or suit can ensure survival in such a situation.
Numerous recordings by Ukrainian drone operators of attacks on Russian soldiers in recent months have shown such desperate attempts to bring down unmanned machines using thrown weapons or sticks. It is now understood that Russians are "trained" in these practices.
The same applies to acrobatics, which might only be effective if good ballistic protection covers most of the body, which poses a significant issue in Russia. Russians have assault suits with shrapnel protection, but these typically reach only certain units. In the case of standard equipment, such acrobatics by Russian soldiers will likely result in fatalities, as seen in numerous recordings by Ukrainian drone operators.
