The Kremlin Under Night Drone Attack, Defended by Gunmen in Chinese Pickup Trucks

Russian security forces have deployed mobile anti-drone units near the Kremlin following overnight drone attacks on Moscow, RBC-Ukraine reported on October 27.

According to the outlet, photos taken in central Moscow show Russian troops mounted on pickup trucks equipped with Pecheneg machine guns intended to intercept low-flying drones.

The vehicles appear to lack night-vision or detection systems—such as searchlights or optical sights—limiting their ability to target drones effectively in the dark.

The trucks used resemble Chinese-designed Sollers/JAC ST6 pickups, assembled at the Automobile Industrial Technologies plant in Vladivostok. Governor Oleg Kozhemyako previously said the facility planned to support the state defense industry in addition to civilian production.

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War in Ukraine

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Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that its air defenses shot down 193 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 43 that targeted Moscow. Local residents reported hearing explosions consistent with drone interceptions and possible strikes on targets.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated on Telegram that several drones flying toward the city were destroyed by air defense systems. He said emergency services were deployed to the sites where debris fell.

The strikes prompted temporary flight restrictions at Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports, Russian media said.

Over the past two months, satellite imagery and open-source intelligence have revealed that Russia has expanded its air defense perimeter around the capital, constructing at least 21 new sites within a 50-kilometer radius.

Most of these are located south of Moscow, in the direction of Ukraine, and host S-300 and S-400 systems as well as new elevated platforms for Pantsir missile-gun complexes.

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