Russian telecom operators launch anti-drone SIM verification system

MOSCOW, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Russian telecom operators have introduced a new mechanism to protect against drone activity, the Ministry of Digital Development announced on Monday.

During the trial period starting Monday, Russian subscribers whose SIM cards have been inactive for 72 hours or who have just returned from international roaming will face a 24-hour "cooling period" without mobile internet or SMS services, the ministry said.

Alternatively, they can verify their SIM cards to confirm that they are not being used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Foreign users will receive an SMS with a verification link to prove they are human and not an automated device. Until verification is completed, their SIM cards will remain blocked, with no access to mobile data or SMS services.

According to media reports, an increasing number of downed drones in the conflict have been found equipped with SIM cards, used to bypass GPS jamming by relying on cellular network triangulation for more precise navigation.

In August, Maksut Shadayev, minister of digital development, announced that his department was proposing to block foreign SIM cards from accessing mobile internet for several hours when they entered Russian territory. He explained that this measure would prevent UAVs from targeting specific locations. Enditem