Russia’s drone revolution heaps pressure on Ukrainian defenses

CNN:

A top-secret Russian unit based in Moscow has changed the landscape of drone warfare, turning what was an advantage for the Ukrainians into a vulnerability.

The unit is known as Rubicon and has expanded rapidly under Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov since his appointment in June last year. Belousov visited its headquarters in October 2024 and was shown a range of drones being developed, according to video published by official Russian media.

The advent of Rubicon – full name the Rubicon Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies – is a prime example of how the Russian military has learnt to shrug off its rigid way of warfare during the Ukraine conflict and adapt to a rapidly evolving battlefield.

Ukraine had already established a separate branch within its military – the Unmanned Systems Forces – in mid-2024.

As Rubicon proved its worth, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in June that Russia would establish a military command dedicated to “unmanned aerial systems.”

That unit came into being last week.

“The head of unmanned systems has been appointed, and military command and control bodies have been created at all levels,” said its deputy commander, Col. Sergei Ishtuganov.