The Ministry of Energy plans to ban flights over fuel and energy complex facilities – Kommersant

The Ministry of Energy proposes to introduce a zone restricting the flights of aircraft and other aircraft over fuel and energy complex (FEC) facilities. This is reported “Vedomosti” with reference to the draft resolution developed by the department.

According to him, they want to limit flights “along the borders of the air part of the security zone of fuel and energy complex facilities.” It will prohibit the flights of any aircraft, as well as gas, thermal or combined balloons (or airships) and balloons. An exception will be made for aircraft designed to protect such objects.

Flights of aircraft with the letters “A” and “K” (they are assigned to flights of the President and Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, as well as foreign leaders and government delegations) and aircraft that have been issued permission from the Joint Coordination Center will be able to move over the fuel and energy complex facilities. Such a center could be created by the FSB with the participation of representatives of the Russian Guard, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Transport, and the Ministry of Energy.

As specified in the draft, the implementation of the rules will be monitored by the forces and means of federal executive authorities involved in the protection of fuel and energy complex facilities. They will operate together with the regional center of the Unified Air Traffic Management System in Rostov-on-Don (the southern regional center of the FSUE State Corporation for Air Traffic Management).

The explanatory note clarifies that the rules for ensuring a “special regime for the protection of fuel and energy complex facilities” will include a provision stating that the limits of the safety zone apply not only to land and water space, but also to air space. The Ministry of Energy claims that a no-fly zone over fuel and energy complex facilities will be introduced as a “special protection measure” for these facilities. The press service of the ministry said that the document is now undergoing interdepartmental approval.

In December 2019, Vladimir Putin signed a law giving law enforcement agencies the powers to suppress illegal drone flights, including shooting them down. Agencies have the right to suppress the operation of UAVs by suppressing or converting remote control signals, as well as influencing drone control panels. In 2023 the State Duma approved a bill from the United Russia group that gives law enforcement agencies the right to suppress the movement of any unmanned aerial vehicles in their area of ​​responsibility.

About the development of a UAV tracking system – in the material “Kommersant” “Attached Interests”.

Laura Keffer