Russia acknowledges Ukraine's lead in heavy combat drones, vows to close gap

Defense Express reported the information.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin publicly acknowledged during a recent direct broadcast that Ukrainian forces surpass Russian troops in the number of heavy drones, specifically mentioning Ukraine's 'Baba Yaga' type UAVs—the Russian military's nickname for Ukrainian systems like the Vampire drone. Putin stated that Russia's Defense Ministry has now made addressing this deficiency a priority.

Defense analysts warn this admission should be viewed not merely as confirmation of Russia's current disadvantage, but as a signal that Moscow recognizes the strategic gap and intends to leverage its financial resources and defense industrial base to catch up rapidly. The acknowledgment comes as Russian drone manufacturer Dronax announced development of heavy transport drones capable of lifting payloads exceeding 100 kilograms, which the company says will enable Russian forces to "expand operational scenarios involving exceptionally large cargo deliveries."

While Dronax has not specified whether these new platforms will include strike capabilities, heavy UAVs typically combine both transport and combat functions. The company's recently tested ChK-15SVO model, with a 100-kilogram payload capacity, already features a universal system for dropping both cargo and TM-62 anti-tank mines. Dronax described this drone as a "qualitative leap" from small cargo delivery systems toward a "full-fledged unmanned transport platform."

Russia currently maintains several heavy drone development programs, and earlier this year announced plans to create specialized "agricultural drone units" within UAV battalions, equipped with modified farming drones and similar heavy-lift platforms for military applications.