Plan to create by autumn: Defense Express on formation of UAV troops in Russia

He shared this in an interview with Espreso.

"Regarding the creation of drone forces in Russia, the enemy is copying what we have already done. This message from the Russians indicates that this idea is still in its infancy. At least, they plan to form this kind of force by autumn, in about 9 months. In Russia, this process is only at the initial stage, while Ukraine announced the creation of Unmanned Systems Forces a year ago. Since June 2024, these Forces have been operational in Ukraine and have been delivering significant blows to the enemy," noted the military expert.

According to him, the creation of such forces is linked to the change in the conduct of combat operations. It is important to remember that Ukraine is a leader in this field, and there is hope that this leadership will be maintained for some time, at least until our victory.

"Russia today is limited in the creation of unmanned systems because it is disconnected from advanced technological developments. At the same time, Ukraine has gained access to systems produced by Western partners and is also actively developing its own capabilities in developing new unmanned systems and improving those already in operation. We have already witnessed battles conducted by both aerial UAV systems and ground-based means," concluded Valerii Riabykh.

About Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces

In February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a decree on the creation of Unmanned Systems Forces as part the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

On May 7, the Cabinet of Ministers supported the presidential decree project, jointly prepared by the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff, to create a separate branch of the military – Unmanned Systems Forces – within the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

This decision was driven by the significant impact that these systems have on the course of military operations.

On June 25, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree that enacted the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) decision on the creation of Unmanned Systems Forces as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

On August 20, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a draft law that legally establishes the existence of Unmanned Systems Forces and allocated 24 billion UAH for the purchase of UAVs for security and defense forces.

On September 3, Ukraine's parliament voted in favor of adopting the corresponding draft law.

On September 16, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Bill No. 11507 on the establishment of Unmanned Systems Forces as a separate branch of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.