Russian forces have developed a new anti-drone protection system known as Hedgehogs, designed to shield ammunition and other vulnerable objects from Ukrainian FPV drone attacks. The protective structures are already being actively deployed in the Krasny Liman direction.

The development was described by a special-purpose unit commander from the radiation, chemical and biological defense troops of Russia’s Zapad military grouping. The officer, identified by the call sign Zarya, outlined the system’s design and intended function.

The Hedgehog protection consists of a structure fitted with protruding spikes, beneath which ammunition and other objects requiring additional protection can be placed. Similar defensive solutions have previously been used on armored vehicles, including infantry fighting vehicles and tanks.

Speaking to RIA Novosti, Zarya explained that Russian troops had developed the new barrier specifically to counter FPV drones carrying shaped-charge warheads.

According to the commander, the protective structure is intended to intercept the shaped-charge jet generated by an incoming drone’s warhead. The spikes create an additional buffer zone between the point of impact and the ammunition underneath, preventing the jet from reaching its target.

The officer presented Hedgehogs as one of the latest protective measures developed by Russian military personnel to counter Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles.

Zarya also reported that Russian units operating in the Krasny Liman sector are using thermobaric munitions against Ukrainian forces.

He emphasized that these weapons are particularly effective against troops positioned inside shelters and fortified defensive structures. According to the commander, thermobaric ammunition is being employed to destroy targets occupying protected positions.

The introduction of Hedgehog barriers and the continued use of thermobaric weapons were among the measures described by the officer during his account of Russian military operations in the Krasny Liman direction.