13 September 2026
At some Russian oil refineries, walls made of shipping containers are being installed around storage tanks and processing units to strengthen protection against drone attacks.
The OSINT project Dnipro Osint reported the appearance of such structures.
The containers are stacked several levels high, forming a barrier between the equipment and the surrounding area.
The wall can partially shield a storage tank or processing unit from debris and low-flying drones. At the same time, any object still exposed from above remains vulnerable to aerial attacks.
Walls made of shipping containers at the Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery. September 2026. Photo credit: Dnipro Osint ⟨Harbuz⟩
The report’s authors also suggest the barriers may help limit the spread of spilled petroleum products and flames to nearby equipment. How well a container wall performs this function depends on its design, as the containers themselves do not form a watertight containment barrier.
Meanwhile, Russian oil refineries continue to install anti-drone nets and metal frames around individual facilities. These structures are intended to intercept drones before they contact equipment or reduce the consequences of an impact. The effectiveness of the new container-based protection during attacks is currently unknown.
Protection of the tanks at the LLC Basic Aviation Fuel Operator in Sochi. September 2026. Photo: CyberBoroshno
On the night of September 4, Ukrainian drones attacked oil depots in Sochi that had been protected by special structures, resulting in fires at the facilities.