Overview
- Deputy commander Sergei Ishtuganov said regiments and battalions are already formed and operating under a single plan in coordination with other forces.
- The force is assigning operators, engineers and technicians to units, with training underway at Defense Ministry schools and plans for a dedicated higher academy.
- Its remit covers aerial, ground and surface drones, and it is conducting combat testing of drones and electronic-warfare systems in close collaboration with manufacturers.
- Russian statements describe ambitious production goals and expanded sourcing of Chinese components, figures that have been reported but not independently verified.
- Ukrainian officials say Moscow is copying Kyiv’s 2024 drone branch and warn of a growing threat as Ukraine seeks to scale its own capabilities to maintain a technological edge.