Putin lets private guards use military arms against drones

ISTANBUL

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law allowing private security guards to temporarily use military-grade firearms and ammunition to combat drones amid the ongoing war with Ukraine, state daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported on Monday.

The law applies to private security organizations at strategic facilities, including fuel and energy sites. It allows guards to use combat automatic small arms available to the Russian National Guard, said Vasily Piskaryov, head of the State Duma Committee on Security and one of the law’s authors.

“The proposed measure will allow for a more rapid and effective response to security threats, as well as significantly enhance the anti-terrorist protection of critical facilities and the citizens working there,” Piskaryov said.

He added that more than 1,000 drone attacks against fuel and energy facilities have been recorded since 2024.

Piskaryov also emphasized that the law introduces a mechanism for monitoring, storing, and handling the firearms received by security organizations.

The federal law was published on Monday and took effect the same day.