Russia unveils plans for new army unit
Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has announced plans to create a new unit of the Russian Armed Forces – the Unmanned Systems Troops – as part of President Vladimir Putin’s orders to boost the use of drone technology on the battlefield.
Belousov made the announcement on Monday during Putin’s meeting with the ministry’s top officials.
He said the proposal to form the new army unit comes in accordance with the Russian president’s previous instructions, advising Putin: “If you decide, we will complete its creation in the third quarter of next year.”
The defense minister noted that more than 3,500 drones were being used by the Russian military on the front lines every day, and the figure continues to grow. In 2024, supplies of drones to troops for various purposes surged by a multiple of 23 compared to the previous year.
In general, Russian air-defense systems have demonstrated “high efficiency” since the launch of the special military operation, Belousov said.
Addressing the meeting earlier, Putin ordered the production of drones and training UAV operators to be ramped up according to programs based on combat experience.
Putin has repeatedly highlighted the importance of developing drone technology and equipping the Russian Army with cutting-edge weapons, including those based on artificial intelligence.
In September, the Russian leader announced plans to boost drone production in the country tenfold to nearly 1.4 million this year. He emphasized the importance of drone production, saying, “Whoever reacts faster to these demands on the battlefield wins.”
The country is making almost weekly advances in drone technology, Putin said, noting that the key task was to produce a wide range of UAVs and to establish serial production as quickly as possible.
The use of drones has become a critical part of combat operations in the Ukraine conflict, which has been characterized by an unprecedented scale of UAV deployment to track forces, guide artillery, and bomb targets. Although the technology has been used extensively on 21st-century battlefields, the current conflict has produced innovations in autonomous warfare never seen before, military experts say.
