Sevastopol ships 'defended' with mattresses

[wonderboy]

A report (BBC News - Ukraine crisis: Sevastopol ships 'defended' with mattresses) from the BBC this morning describes how ships moored in Sevastopol have only waterhoses and matresses draped over the side. This is stated without additional explanation.

Why do these warships only have waterhoses and mattresses? I can see a large gun on the foredeck of the warship in the frame of the report.

Is this a strategy by the armed forces (remaining unarmed in the face of overwhelming force)? If so this sounds like not a bad idea... but in that case surely it warrants explanation by the BBC?!

[Troll]

You sure Suity didn't spend the night there?

[Pondlife]

You sure Suity didn't spend the night there?

How damp are the mattresses? Maybe they need a good airing after drying off.

[VectraMan]

Are they all called Zem?

[Ticktock]

Once again, it's the Ukrainian military trying to passively resist. Any use of weapons would give the Russians an excuse for a full on assault. They're just trying to make it harder to be boarded.

[OwlHoot]

I imagine wet, solid (e.g. horse-hair) mattresses might be better than one might think at defending against bullets and even missiles, or at least reducing the damage somewhat, because they would absorb a fair bit of kinetic energy and heat.

It's a similar principle to the way quilted armour is pretty good at absorbing the force of blunt blows and side swipes, although presumably less effective against stabs.

[greenlake]

Mattresses may be sufficient.... (audible WTF in the second video, so maybe NSFW)