Breton fishermen sent hundreds of kilometers of nets to Ukraine to combat Russian drones

Brittany accumulates massive amounts of worn-out fishing nets every year, which have now become an essential resource for the Ukrainian military. These materials are used as barriers against drones.

For a long time, reliable but no longer usable deep-sea nets, whose service life is only 1-2 years, were stored in fishing ports along the Brittany coast. Previously, about 800 tons of these nets were sent to scrap metal each time, but the situation has changed.

The charity Kernic Solidarités has already collected two batches of nets, totaling 280 kilometers, and transferred them to Ukraine to strengthen military positions and protect the civilian population. These nets, made of durable materials, were previously used to catch monkfish, a strong fish that causes severe damage to fishing gear. Due to their durability, they have proven particularly effective in combating drones.

Christian Abaziu, the organization’s logistics manager, notes that the Ukrainian military emphasizes the importance of strong deep-sea nets that can withstand heavy impacts similar to those caused by drones. The military stretches nets between poles, allowing them to entangle drone propellers. These nets are also used to cover trenches and equipment, including on roads and bridges.

Kernic Solidarités President Gerard Le Duffe noted that the Ukrainian ambassador expressed gratitude to the Breton fishermen for their contribution. He also emphasizes that the region does not have problems with raw materials — on the contrary, many processing companies are closing down, and old nets cannot be used. Therefore, helping Ukraine is a logical and practical initiative.

The organization was created in response to requests for help from local Ukrainians. During its existence, 20 volunteers have delivered tens of tons of humanitarian aid to Ukraine. When the need for military nets arose, the Brittany fishing community responded quickly.

Similar campaigns are also supported by fishermen from Sweden and Denmark, who are transferring large amounts of decommissioned gear.

In addition, the “Cobweb” initiative, which saves the lives of military personnel and civilians, continues to develop. Over the past month, 107 vehicles, representing 2,000 tons of cargo, including 16,000 kilometers of anti-drone nets, have arrived in Ukraine. This initiative is implemented through the cooperation of the NGO “Union of TV and Film Industry Entrepreneurs”, the Techiia Foundation, and Life Guardians partners in Ukraine and the Netherlands.