ST. PETERSBURG/MOSCOW - Russia plans to raise its drone production by nearly ten times in 2024 in comparison with the previous year, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday in St. Petersburg.
At a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission on Special Purpose UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), Putin said that about 140,000 drones of various types were delivered to the Armed Forces in 2023. In the current year, drone production is expected to expand dramatically this year. Meanwhile, the range of unmanned systems is expanding, and crewless boats are being developed.
According to the Russian president, by 2030, 48 research and production centers for drone design, testing, and serial production will be established throughout the country.
As Putin noted, Russia's national project concerning unmanned systems has been in place since this year and will continue until 2030. One of its main goals is to boost the development and production of domestic components and materials for drones, he said, adding that it is crucial for achieving technological independence in this significant field.
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Before the meeting, Putin inspected the Special Technology Center, a Russian technology and defense industry company, in St. Petersburg, viewing modern unmanned aircraft systems with target payloads and special software, including artificial intelligence technologies, as well as other types of weapons and equipment.
Arctic interests
Russia is prepared to defend its interests in the Arctic, even through military means, as NATO increases its military exercises in the region, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying.
"We observe how NATO is escalating exercises related to potential crises in the Arctic. Our country is fully prepared to defend its interests on military, political, and military-technical fronts," Lavrov told an interview for the documentary series "Soviet Breakthrough."
Lavrov's comments come amid heightened tensions in the Arctic, where NATO has been ramping up its presence.
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In July, the US Department of Defense released an updated version of its Arctic Strategy, outlining plans for joint military exercises with its allies to demonstrate combat readiness and operational compatibility. The strategy also highlights intentions to work with partners, local industries, and Alaska's native tribes to "strengthen integrated deterrence and increase shared security" in the region.
According to the Pentagon's strategy, the United States and its allies plan to introduce more than 250 modern multi-role combat aircraft that could be deployed for Arctic operations by the 2030s.
Earlier this month, Nikolai Patrushev, an aide to the Russian president and chair of the Maritime Collegium, said that the United States and its allies are intensifying pressure around Russia's borders, constantly testing its defense capabilities. Patrushev accused the US side of pursuing militarization in the Arctic, seeking to hinder Russian economic activities in the northern regions.
