The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have officially established unmanned systems troops, complete with a defined structure, appointed leadership and fully staffed regiments and other units.

Source: Sergei Ishtuganov, Deputy Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, in an interview with the Russian news outlet Komsomolskaya Pravda

Quote: "We have already formed standard regiments, battalions and other units. Their combat operations are conducted under a unified plan and in coordination with other branches of the Armed Forces.

Meanwhile, the expansion of existing units and the creation of new formations of the drone system troops continue. We are appointing operators, engineers, technicians and other support specialists to these units."

Details: He added that specialists are already being trained at the Ministry of Defence's educational institutions, and work is under way to establish a higher military academy dedicated to the drone system troops.

Background:

• Ukraine's Armed Forces have had a similar branch – the Unmanned Systems Forces – since 2024.
• In June 2024, Vadym Sukharevskyi was appointed as their commander.
• Later that year, in December 2024, Russia announced plans to create such a branch as well.
• In June 2025, Vladimir Putin confirmed that Russia was forming drone system troops as a separate branch of the military.

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