Russia tells its own banks they can shoot down drones and arm staff

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Russia has urged its financial institutions to shoot down Ukrainian drones themselves after a spate of airstrikes in Moscow.

The bizarre request might be a sign that the Kremlin is beginning to tire of the costly war in Ukraine, which it started in February 2022.

Putin’s lawmakers have greenlit a bill that will allow bank workers to take matters into their own hands in the case of an attack and shoot down Ukrainian drones.

The proposed system would see electronic jamming systems set up on bank rooftops.

Russian banks could be kitted with anti-drone systems in a bid to fight of Ukrainian airstrikes (Picture: Anadolu/Getty Images)

Employees selected to operate the system would then shoot down attack drones.

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The Russian president has gone to great lengths to hide the reality of the flailing war in Ukraine from citizens at home, but the Kremlin now faces a slew of attacks reaching Moscow along with a slowing economy.

Part of the appeal of the plan is the wide network of banks dotted in nearly every town, and that financial institutions would pay for the installation, Al Jazeera reports.

A high-rise building in Moscow was left with a gaping hole after a Ukrainian drone strike on May 4 (Picture: Anadolu/Getty Images)

The Russian military has been struggling to defend every corner of the vast country, leaving some spots exposed.

Ukrainian long-range drone attacks targeted Moscow in mid-May, striking the Moscow Oil Refinery and damaging it.

At least three people were killed and others injured after the overnight bombardment, according to Russian officials.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky argued that the strikes were justified in response to earlier Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Earlier in May, the Russian army unleashed drones and missiles on Kyiv, killing 24 people.

Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine has stalled while Russia faces an economic downturn, risking his popularity at home (Picture: EPA)

The Russia-Ukraine war has been dragging on for 1,554 days, and with no immediate end in sight after earlier peace negotiations have stalled.

Donald Trump pushed for a deal to be reached last year, with a 20-point peace plan discussed by negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the US.

However, the talks ended without reaching a solution, with the main sticking points like the future of the invaded territory remaining unresolved.

Global attention shifted from Russia’s activities in Ukraine to Iran following the US-Israel attacks on Tehran in February.

Concern has been growing that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil route, could end up playing in the Kremlin’s favour if fuel-desperate countries ease sanctions to buy Russian resources.

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