Moscow Utility Workers Deployed to Rooftops With Binoculars to Watch for Drones

Moscow has deployed utility workers to the rooftops of residential buildings with binoculars to spot drones ahead of the city’s annual Victory Day parade on May 9, according to independent Russian media outlet ASTRA.

Workers at one municipal service company have reportedly been put on nearly round-the-clock shifts in response to a rise in drone activity in recent days.

“The site foremen were given binoculars and sent to rooftops to monitor for drones. Everyone else was told to watch the skies,” an employee in southern Moscow told ASTRA.

The worker added that they received no clear instructions on what to do if a drone is spotted. “Probably the standard procedure is to call 112,” he shared, referring to Russia’s emergency services line.

Another municipal employee in the city’s eastern district said staff have been working overtime for three days. He described enhanced patrols with police and the deployment of anti-drone units to attics and rooftops.

“At the points in the attics, anti-drone units are on duty, we are watching, preparing to shoot down. Binoculars have even been distributed to the janitors,” he explained.

The heightened security posture is expected to remain in place through May 9, amid fears of new UAV incursions during parade rehearsals and the event itself.

Moscow is preparing for the parade

It was recently reported that the Kremlin began restrictions on mobile internet access in parts of Moscow.

Outages started around May 5, with nearly 10,000 complaints logged by mobile operators by late morning that day.

Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said the disruptions were linked to security protocols for the upcoming celebrations. While telecom providers insist the network remains stable and voice communication is unaffected, the outages suggest that certain towers may have been intentionally shut down or electronic warfare systems deployed to jam specific frequencies.