Ukraine’s Drones Reach Russia’s Arctic Gas Capital—Now Locals Are Being Paid $12,000 to Shoot Them Down

Russia’s far northern Yamalo-Nenets region is offering mobile fire groups $12,000 for every incoming drone they destroy, underscoring growing concern over Ukrainian long-range strikes reaching some of the country’s most remote oil and gas infrastructure, according to The Barents Observer on October 8.

The regional government announced the new reward after a Ukrainian drone reportedly reached Novy Urengoy, widely known as Russia’s “natural gas capital,” roughly 3,000 kilometers, or about 1,860 miles, from the Ukrainian front.

The $12,000 reward will be divided among members of a mobile fire group that successfully destroys an incoming drone. There is one major condition: the payment will only be made if the facility being defended escapes damage.

Authorities are also offering financial incentives simply to join the units. Employed residents who sign up can receive $1,200, while unemployed recruits are eligible for $1,800. Membership in a mobile fire group requires signing a contract with Russia’s Defense Ministry.

The measures show how far Russia’s drone-defense problem has spread from the Ukrainian border. Yamalo-Nenets lies thousands of kilometers from the battlefield in the Russian Arctic, yet the region has already begun periodically issuing drone alerts and restricting civilian aviation when UAV threats are reported.

That matters because the region is one of the centers of Russia’s energy industry. Yamalo-Nenets contains major oil and natural gas production infrastructure, while large liquefied natural gas projects—including Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG 2—are located in its northern areas.

Previously, reports emerged that Russia’s federal budget received about $5.43 billion in oil and gas revenue in September, down 22% from the same month in 2025.

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