State of the World from NPR The Ukrainian town enmeshed in netting to evade deadly Russian drones
Mar 20, 2026
Eleanor Beardsley, NPR correspondent reporting from Izium, Ukraine, paints a vivid scene of streets swathed in overhead netting. She explores low-tech defenses against lethal FPV drones. Short interviews with residents and a doctor show how nets tangle drone propellers and reshape daily life. The report outlines Ukraine’s plan to expand netting across the front lines.
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Low Tech Nets Stop High Tech FPV Attacks
- FPV drones use live video feeds and fiber-optic cables, making them unjammable and able to travel up to 15 miles.
- Izium installed wide overhead nets because drone propellers get tangled in them, stopping guided strikes on streets and sidewalks.
Town Walks Under Drone Netting Canopy
- Locals in Izium now walk and drive under long tunnels of white netting across main roads and sidewalks.
- Eleanor Beardsley describes cafes and residents reacting to the nets as a visible sign the front line is approaching.
Residents Recall Brutal Occupation Memories
- Izium bears scars from earlier occupation: 19th century buildings pockmarked or in rubble and a nearby mass grave.
- Residents like Maxim Yivsykov recount hiding in kitchens, cooking outside, and brutal treatment under Russian occupation.