Reorganization of drone units in Russian army to hinder its ability to innovate quickly – ISW
Russian efforts to centralize drone units have attempted to augment Russian drone capabilities by expanding state control over drone operators and developers and increasing their incorporation into the Russian military bureaucracy, the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a report for February 10.
“The Russian military began efforts to centralize drone operators and developers in Fall 2024, disbanding informal Russian drone detachments and removing drone specialists from regular military units, then selectively reorganizing them to form new Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD)-controlled drone units and centralizing their assets,” the message reads.
At the same time it is noted that Ukraine's efforts to integrate drone operations with ground operations significantly differ from Russian efforts to centralize drone units.
ISW continues to assess that the Russian MoD's efforts to centralize and reorganize drone units and monopolize drone production and procurement processes may complicate Russian forces' ability to rapidly innovate and adapt new technologies and combat techniques in the short- to medium-term.
It is reported that recently Ukrainian troops advanced near Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, while Russian troops advanced near Chasiv Yar, as well as in Kursk region.