Poland Installs Anti-Drone Nets at Fortifications on Russian Border

Fortifications built under Poland’s Eastern Shield project near the Russian border have been fitted with nets to counter FPV drones.

The Polish RMF 24 published the photos of installations.

“This comprehensive program includes reconnaissance, warning systems, defense, mobility, and counter-mobility components,” Lieutenant General Stanisław Czosnek, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, shared.

The installations are located near the border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region, close to the village of Rutka in the Barciany commune, Kętrzyn county.

Photos capture a network of trenches reinforced with concrete slabs and light infantry shelters. These shelters are designed to withstand drone attacks, though not artillery strikes, and lack side protection.

To mitigate the threat from FPV drones, polymer nets have been installed over the trenches. The stronghold also includes caponiers for armored vehicles, an element considered outdated in current military doctrine.

A line of concrete tetrapods has been placed in front of the position to hinder vehicle movement.

“The security environment in our region has deteriorated significantly. We are in a state of hybrid war and are taking preemptive measures.

We started implementing defenses earlier,” Lieutenant General Czosnek noted.

He added that the expansion of Eastern Shield continues along the border with Russia, and similar measures are underway along the borders with Belarus and Ukraine.

Czosnek noted that while engineering structures are the most visible part, “the Eastern Shield program is multidimensional.”

The program includes intelligence, early warning systems, chemical weapons protection, logistics, troop protection, mobility support for friendly forces, and counter-mobility elements. Medical infrastructure is also being prepared for military needs in the region.

“We understand that a barrier is only effective if it’s defended. That’s why firing positions, shelters for soldiers, and vehicle firing points are being built here,” Major General Marek Wawrzyniak, head of the Military Engineering Directorate, stated. “When planning, we draw on lessons from Ukraine and other operations. This site is a good example of an engineering barrier — forest on one side, swamps on the other — creating a natural counter-mobility zone.”

The Eastern Shield project was presented in May 2024. The Polish government plans to invest PLN 10 billion (€2.55 billion) in its development, with completion of the fortification network expected by 2028.