Old fishing nets from Estonia's Saaremaa now shield Ukraine from drones
Worn-out fishing nets from Estonia's Saaremaa island are being shipped to Ukraine, where they are used as makeshift protection against Russian drones. Volunteers estimate around 50 metric tons of nets have been sent over the past two years.
Fishing nets discarded by fishers on Estonia's largest island, Saaremaa, are getting a second life in Ukraine, where they now help shield buildings and positions from Russian drones. Previously, nets sent from Estonia were mostly turned into camouflage netting, but they are increasingly being repurposed to cover large openings that drones could otherwise fly through.
Volunteers Margus and Hillar, who help organize aid deliveries to Ukraine, said they have already transported several truckloads of nets donated by Saaremaa fishers. According to Margus, the material is sent directly toward the front line, where local residents decide how best to use it, since conditions on the ground can change overnight — a city planned as today's destination might not even remain standing by tomorrow.
Roughly 50 tons shipped in two years
Hillar estimated that around 50 metric tons of fishing nets have been sent to Ukraine over the past two years, with each delivery carrying hundreds of kilograms or more. A single trip today, he noted, is hauling half a ton to a full ton of nets.
The donations also give old fishing gear a practical new purpose, since much of it would otherwise have little use back in Saaremaa, where some worn nets have simply been burned in the past. A traditional wooden fish trap from the village of Koguva is also being sent to Ukraine, which Hillar plans to cut apart and flatten so its material can be used as well.
