According to the Financial Times, one of the tankers - the 28-year-old Caruzo, which is under EU and UK sanctions - has exited the Black Sea through the Bosphorus with protective structures installed on board. Nets and water containers are placed on the sides of the vessel, and the bridge is additionally covered with a metal frame. Similar structures have been observed on another sanctioned tanker - Rizvel, which was located in the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul. Such nets and metal cages are widely used by Russian and Ukrainian military forces on land to protect equipment from drones. The structures create additional distance between the drone's warhead and the target, which can potentially reduce the impact of an explosion. According to the publication, the protective structures on the tankers appear more improvised than similar constructions on military equipment. Some vessels are also equipped with water containers that can serve as an additional protective element. "Caruzo" has attracted the attention of maritime monitoring specialists. Co-founder of Tankertrackers.com Samir Madani noted that the crew is effectively inside the protective structure. Reinforcements are also being noted in the Novorossiysk area. Satellite images and materials from open sources show nets and other structures around the naval base where the Russian Black Sea Fleet is stationed. Additionally, the entrance to the military harbor is protected by locks and barges set across the passage. According to the Financial Times, this measure has been in place since at least March 2024.