Russia establishes dedicated drone military branch
The Russian military will now include unmanned systems forces as a dedicated branch, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin announced on June 12.
According to state propaganda agency TASS, the decision was made at a high-level government meeting on Russia’s new rearmament program.
“It is necessary to ensure their deployment as quickly and efficiently as possible…,” Putin said.
“We know how the enemy operates. But overall, I do not believe that we are lagging behind in any way here. Moreover, I believe we have gained good experience to create this branch of the armed forces.”
He also noted that the updated arms program will include plans to develop a “universal” air defense system.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the creation of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces on Feb. 6, 2024.
On June 3, 2025, Zelenskyy appointed Robert Brovdi as Commander of Unmanned Systems Forces, replacing Vadym Sukharevskyi, who has led the branch since its inception.
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