French fishers find creative method to protect Ukraine from Russian drone attacks
Safety net (Photo: Getty Images)
French fishermen are sending worn-out nets, now used to protect Ukrainians from drones, reports The Guardian.
Fishermen from the Brittany region of France are sending nets to Ukraine that were previously used for catching sea creatures.
These sturdy nets, made from horsehair, have been given a second life - they are now used along the frontlines to protect against drones.
The total length of nets already delivered amounts to around 280 kilometers.
How the nets provide protection
Normally, the service life of such nets does not exceed two years. After that, they wear out and are meant to be disposed of.
Each year, fishermen in the region discard approximately 800 tons of equipment. Now, however, it has found a new purpose, helping Ukrainians defend against drone attacks.
The charity organization Kernic Solidarités is coordinating the initiative. It was established following a request for humanitarian aid from Ukrainians living in France.
Fishermen’s reaction
“When we learned that Ukraine needed nets, the fishing community reacted rapidly. We don’t have a lack of fishing nets in this region. It’s a problem to know what to do with them as a couple of the companies that recycle them have closed. If they need them to create anti-drone walls and save lives in Ukraine, they can have them,” said the organization’s president, Gérard Le Duff.
Fishermen from Sweden and Denmark have also joined the initiative, donating hundreds of tons of old nets.
Former head of the Brittany Fisheries Committee, Jean-Jacques Tangy, noted that local fishermen are enthusiastically helping Ukrainians.
Ongoing support
Kernic Solidarités has faced funding shortages for transporting the nets, but is looking for ways for Ukrainians to collect the humanitarian aid themselves.
One volunteer, 70-year-old Christian Abaziou, said that Ukrainians are deeply moved by this support.
“The fact that those in the fishing industry the other side of Europe are sending nets to help them defend themselves has brought a few tears to their eyes,” the Frenchman shared.
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