Russia has become smart, setting up barbed wire barriers to protect oil refineries, and specifically targeting Ukrainian railway traction substations. The simplest tactics often prove the most effective.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has lasted 1316 days, during which both Russia and Ukraine have suffered significant losses over the past 1000 plus days. Both sides have learned from war and found methods to cause great trouble for their opponents. Ukraine's biggest weapon is using suicide drones to attack Russian energy infrastructure, which has already caused a rise in gasoline prices, with some areas even experiencing gasoline shortages. Russia, however, is also very good at learning from war, and after continuous setbacks, they have started to find ways to counter Ukrainian drone attacks.
According to reports, Russia has begun setting up large protective covers made of barbed wire around major oil facilities, especially important oil refineries. It may sound like a certain kind of defensive weapon, but in fact, it is simply a simple anti-drone barbed wire net, without much technical complexity. Although this barbed wire has low technological content, it is particularly effective in countering Ukrainian drone attacks. This barbed wire can block suicide drones from directly attacking oil facilities, thus minimizing the damage caused by Ukrainian drone attacks.
The working principle of this metal protective net is similar to providing an "iron umbrella" for oil refineries. It aims to detonate or repel suicide drones or drones carrying bombs before they come into contact with vulnerable targets such as oil tanks, thereby preventing substantial destruction. This device is very cheap, yet it can detonate or block incoming drones before they hit the core equipment. In essence, the barbed wire is a "grille armor," which interferes with the drone's attack path by creating physical contact outside the target.
Compared to deploying S-300 and S-400 air defense missiles, this barbed wire is very inexpensive, as each air defense missile costs hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, while even if the entire oil refinery were covered with these barbed wires, it would cost less than $100,000. In addition to the famous "tank top cage," after being attacked by Ukrainian drones multiple times, Russia also built reinforced concrete shelters for military airports. It can be said that Russia's ability to learn from war is quite strong.
In addition to enhancing protection, Russia has also become smarter in striking Ukraine's weapons transportation, especially railway transportation. According to reports, after Russia recently attacked a railway traction substation in Ukraine, the tracks in Donbas lost power, and the entire grid went down, stopping Ukraine's weapons and ammunition transportation work. According to reports, Ukraine's railway transportation mainly relies on the grid, large substations, and lines that directly deliver current to the overhead power lines above the tracks.
Russia now directly attacks the most critical traction railway stations, achieving the purpose of cutting off the entire railway network with one attack. This attack is highly efficient, often achieving twice the result with half the effort. Traction substations are the "heart" and "power conversion station" for power supply systems (mainly electrified railways, subways, light rails, and tramways).
A traction substation is like a "special restaurant" along the railway line. It takes ingredients from the "public canteen" or "logistics system," but knowing that trains have a big appetite and special tastes, it processes them into high voltage, direct current, or special alternating current suitable for trains, then delivers it directly to the running trains through the overhead contact network (aerial lines) or the third rail beside the track. Traction substations ensure that trains continuously receive powerful and stable power while running. By attacking traction substations, Russia can directly achieve the purpose of paralyzing the entire railway transportation. It can be said that Russia has become smarter with every battle.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1844694652698636/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.