Russian Black Sea Fleet adds metal mesh cages to three Kilo submarines

Three of the four remaining Kilo-class submarines in Russia’s Black Sea Fleet have been fitted with metal mesh armor around their conning towers, according to the British Ministry of Defence.

According to a recent operational update, the Russian Black Sea Fleet has installed metal mesh “cope cages” on the conning towers of three of its four remaining Kilo-class submarines to shield them from Ukrainian one-way attack drones. Commercial satellite imagery dated 13 June 2026 shows the three submarines moored with their hulls below the surface while the armored towers remain visible above water, prompting the addition of the cages.

The British Ministry of Defence notes that the unarmored fourth Kilo submarine, seen submerged elsewhere in the port, is likely considered less critical. Cope cages, a simple and inexpensive protective measure, have been widely employed on tanks and structures in the Ukraine war and have spread to other regions, including the United Arab Emirates. While effective against small aerial drones, the cages offer limited defense against larger underwater or surface threats. The move reflects Russia’s response to the growing Ukrainian drone threat that has already damaged several Black Sea Fleet assets, including the loss of the cruiser Moskva and the submarine Rostov-on-Don.