Russia Advertises for Drone Pilots to Defend Moscow Amidst Increased Attacks

Russia has resorted to advertising for drone pilots to defend Moscow.

The country's biggest jobs website, HeadHunter, is advertising ​for drone operators to protect the skies above Moscow. The add says there is no previous experience required.

Candidates require ​only "basic ⁠technical skills" and a desire ‌to progress in the field. But the pay — starting at 150,000 roubles ($1,950) per month — compares unfavourably with the ‌average for Moscow of more than ‌200,000 roubles.

The ad says candidates are being sought for a volunteer ⁠unit called the Combat Army Reserve Force that is tasked with "ensuring the capital's security using modern technical solutions and surveillance systems".

"You will work with high-tech equipment designed to protect the ⁠urban environment," it says.

The ​job ⁠description includes pre-flight preparation and operation of drones, carrying out reconnaissance missions and "conducting flights to ⁠collect datasets, by day and at night".

In a review of the employer, a person posting as "Lead Inspector" wrote: "An excellent, close-knit team; there were great opportunities for ⁠growth, a positive corporate culture, the chance to choose work that suited my interests, and support from management. Salary is performance-based, meaning you can increase your earnings."

At least two people were killed in Russia's border regions and several industrial sites suffered damage during Ukrainian drone attacks overnight on Friday, local authorities and media said. Ukraine has pounded Russia's ​energy ⁠infrastructure for months in efforts to cripple Moscow's military might. The attacks have led to fuel shortages ⁠across Russia, the world's largest country. Russian President Vladimir Putin ​has ⁠said the attacks are ‌meant to sow discord among the public.

It is not clear when the vacancy was first posted, but it was updated on July 1. The Kremlin has ⁠said that measures are being taken to step up Russia's defences ‌against attacks.

Meanwhile, Ukraine hit two Russian airfields in ⁠Moscow-occupied Crimea, targeting at least seven ⁠jets ​and drone ⁠warehouses, Ukraine's SBU ⁠security service ​said ⁠on Friday.

Hvardiyske ‌and Saky airbases came ‌under attack, ‌with the latter being hit ⁠for the second time this week, the SBU added on the ‌Telegram app.

The ​jets ‌in Saky ⁠were "damaged or ⁠destroyed", it ‌said.

Separately, Ukrainian officials said on Telegram that four people were killed and a ‌further 10 people were injured in Russian ‌overnight attacks on Ukraine. Valentin Demidov, the mayor of Russia's western city of Belgorod, said a woman had died in a car ⁠after being injured by shrapnel. He said water and power supplies in the city, which is about 40 km (25 miles) north of the border with Ukraine, had been disrupted.

Earlier on Friday, Vesti news channel, citing local officials, said an industrial facility had caught fire after Ukraine attacked Belgorod and its ‌surroundings with missiles. Egor Kovalchuk, the acting governor of ​Bryansk, another Russian border region, said a man ‌had died in a ⁠village following a kamikaze drone attack. Fire also broke out ⁠at an industrial site in the western Smolensk region following a drone ‌attack there, ​though no one was hurt, the ‌local governor, Vasily Anokhin, wrote ​on Telegram.

​Russia this week staged its ‌deadliest strike of the ​year against Kyiv, killing at least 30 people.