Russian companies increased spending on anti-drone defenses more than sixfold in the first half of 2026 as long-range Ukrainian strikes increasingly targeted the country’s industrial infrastructure, the Vedomosti newspaper reported Wednesday.
Businesses spent 441.3 million rubles ($5.34 million) on anti-drone equipment from January through June, 6.6 times more than a year earlier, according to data from procurement platform Tenderplan cited by Vedomosti.
Data from rival service Kontur.Zakupki also showed an increase, though on a smaller scale. Based on tenders listed on the platforms it aggregates, commercial-sector purchases rose 49% to 25.71 million rubles ($311,000).
The rise underscores the mounting cost to Russian businesses as Ukrainian drones strike ports, oil refineries, chemical and defense plants and warehouses belonging to online retailer Wildberries.
Purchases have accelerated in recent months, Vedomosti reported. Companies are buying protective barriers, communications and detection equipment, electronic warfare systems and unarmed interceptor drones, rather than weapons, the newspaper cited a source as saying.
