Russia forms its own drone forces, copying Ukraine’s battlefield model

Ishtuganov claimed that a commander for the drone forces has already been appointed and that personnel regiments and other units have been formed. He also said Russia is expanding combat strength by reorganizing existing units and creating new ones.

Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), said Moscow is once again copying Ukraine’s military innovations.

“It was Ukraine that first created strike drone companies, which gave us a battlefield advantage in 2023,” Kovalenko said. “Our drone units are working very effectively today. But the Russians are copying and trying to scale our innovations through sheer numbers. That’s certainly a threat.”

Kovalenko added that Ukraine remains ahead of Russia in developing ground-based robotic systems.

“We’re currently ahead of them in the development of robotic ground platforms,” he said. “At the same time, it’s disheartening to see how many steps behind NATO’s European armies are. Living in illusions is always dangerous.”

Discussions about establishing a dedicated drone branch within the Russian military began in late 2024. In December that year, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov proposed forming drone forces similar to those in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, saying they could be established by the third quarter of 2025.