- Category
- Latest news
Russia Deploys Reservists to Guard Oil Refineries and Power Plants from Drone Attacks
- Authors
![Photo of Roman Kohanets]( "Photo of Roman Kohanets")
-111f0e5095e02c02446ffed57bfb0ab1.jpeg "Photo of Roman Kohanets")
Russia’s Defense Ministry has proposed sending reservists on “special training” rotations to protect energy facilities, transport hubs, oil refineries and other critical infrastructure from drone attacks—strictly within their home regions, Vice Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky said at a briefing on October 22.
“The draft law clarifies the purposes for using reservists—it provides for their dispatch to special training to protect life-support facilities… only on the territory of their region and to counter, first of all, unmanned aerial vehicles,” he stated, adding that the measure applies to citizens who have voluntarily signed a reserve contract.
Tsimlyansky emphasized that reservists “will not be involved in the ‘special military operation‘ or assigned tasks outside the Russian Federation,” and their participation will be formalized through provisions in their contracts. He also noted that call-ups for any such training would be carried out by presidential decree.
According to Tsimlyansky, the proposal responds to a heightened threat environment: “In connection with the increased use of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles by Ukrainian armed formations… the threat of strikes on critical infrastructure and residential areas has risen.”
Before being allowed to perform these tasks, reservists would undergo instruction in firearms, engineering and medical training under Defense Ministry instructors with combat experience.
Only after completing this training would they be cleared for independent duty. Russian regional outlets reporting on the briefing also said reservists would retain their jobs and pay during training.
Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that Russia may use the new legislation to conduct a gradual mobilization of reservists to sustain its operations in Ukraine while avoiding a formal draft.
According to ISW, the amendments enable the Kremlin to deploy reservists faster without officially declaring war, offering a cheaper alternative to costly volunteer recruitment programs that have fueled inflation and strained Russia’s fragile economy.
Earlier, it was reported that Russia lifted key restrictions on the use of reservists in combat operations abroad.
-7f54d6f9a1e9b10de9b3e7ee663a18d9.png)
