President Vladimir Putin said Russia is in the process of creating a new specialized force in the military, focusing on unmanned aerial systems (UAVs). This will be a separate branch in the military structure and is expected to be established this year.
The information was given by Mr. Putin at a meeting with senior military and civilian officials to discuss the equipment plan for the Russian army in the next decade. He emphasized the growing importance of unmanned aerial vehicles on the battlefield, saying that these systems are playing a key role and their scope of use is constantly expanding.
According to Mr. Putin, unmanned vehicles can now destroy armored vehicles, public works, communication systems, means of transport and the vitality of the enemy. He said that UAV operators are currently responsible for up to 50% of the enemy's equipment and facilities destroyed or damaged in the conflict in Ukraine.
In addition to the attack mission, Mr. Putin said that unmanned aerial vehicles are also being widely used in reconnaissance, electronic warfare, mine clearance and mine clearance. Therefore, the development and deployment of UAV forces needs to be carried out "quickly and to the highest extent".
He affirmed that Russia has accumulated enough experience to build a new full-time military branch, with the task of training personnel, producing and providing modern equipment to enhance the combat effectiveness of the entire army.
The new force will be called the Unmanned System Force and was first announced last December as part of efforts to promote the application of unmanned technology on the battlefield. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov said the force would be established in the third quarter of this year.
