Putin announces creation of unmanned systems forces in Russia

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has announced that unmanned systems forces are being established in Russia as a separate branch of the armed forces.

Source: Putin at a meeting focusing on the new state armaments programme, as reported by TASS, a Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency

Quote: "It is necessary to ensure their deployment as quickly and efficiently as possible... We know how the enemy operates. But overall, I do not believe that we are lagging behind in any way here. Moreover, I believe we have gained good experience to create this branch of the armed forces."

Details: Putin also demanded that the new state armaments programme must ensure the formation of a comprehensive air defence system.

For reference: Ukraine has a similar branch of the armed forces, the Unmanned Systems Forces, which was established in 2024. The Russians' idea of setting up something similar first emerged that same year.

Background: At the same meeting, Putin directed his military command to substantially enhance the combat capabilities of Russia's ground forces as part of the new state armaments programme, which covers 2027-2036.

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