Putin allowed private security companies to issue military weapons to protect protected facilities from drones

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that gives private security organizations the right to receive military small arms for temporary use from the Russian Guard to protect protected facilities from drones. The document was published on the official legal information portal.

The right to receive weapons was granted to private security organizations established by companies in the fuel and energy complex, strategic enterprises, state corporations, as well as organizations that protect critical facilities.

They will be given weapons “in order to suppress the illegal functioning” of various types of drones “during the period of the SVO .”

According to the head of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption, Vasily Piskarev, more than 80% of the fuel and energy complex facilities are protected by private security organizations. According to current legislation, they can only use service weapons (smooth-bore long-barreled and short-barreled rifled) and “often it is simply not enough to quickly and effectively repel an attack by UAVs and other (underwater, surface, ground) unmanned aerial vehicles.”

Piskarev believes that the new law will “significantly increase the anti-terrorism protection of critical facilities and citizens working there.”