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Unmanned Systems Forces (Russia)
Military unit From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Unmanned Systems Forces (Russian: Войска беспилотных систем [ВБС], romanized: Voyska bespilotnykh sistem [VBS]) is a branch of the Russian Armed Forces, dedicated to drone warfare. The branch was established on 12 November 2025.[2]
The Unmanned Systems Forces conduct drone warfare using unmanned military drones on land, sea, and air. The establishment of the VBS is a formal recognition by the Russian military of the centrality of drone warfare and autonomous systems in contemporary conflicts,[3] as well as Moscow's efforts to reorganise training, force structure, development, and provisioning related to drone warfare.[4]
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History
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The idea of establishing a separate military branch of the Russian military dedicated to unmanned system dates back to 16 December 2024. Minister of Defence Andrey Belousov stated on that occasion that the branch would be established in the third quarter of 2025,[4] with a scope beyond the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).[5] In June 2024, Ukraine had already created its own Unmanned Systems Forces as drone warfare became a central facet of the Russo-Ukrainian war.[6]
According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russia began creating separate drone military units as early as late January 2025,[7] with the first drone regiment being presented at the 2025 Moscow Victory Day Parade.[8] In June 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a rapid development of the unmanned systems branch.[9][10]
On 12 November 2025, the deputy head of the Unmanned Systems Forces, Colonel Sergey Ishtuganov, announced that the branch has finished its formation and is fully operational.[2]
According to Russian military journalist Dmitry Steshin, the establishment of the Unmanned Systems Forces happened more quickly than other branches, having built on the progress made by DPR and LPR People's Miltiias.[11]
Kiev-based defence reporter Kollen Post links the establishment of the Unmanned Systems Forces as a separate branch to the attempt of the Russian military to organise under a more efficient system various autononous, and spontaneous, units and industrial initiatives which sprang up in the earlier periods of the Russo-Ukrainian War.[12]
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Mission
The Conflict Intelligence Team suggested that the new branch would be responsible for centralised training and supply for drone operators, as well as combat analysis and research and development of new systems, while its units would be subordinate to various armed forces formations.[1]
Structure
According to Defence Minister Belousov, the Unmanned Systems Forces are an independent branch of service (rod): not a fully-fledged Armed Force (vid) but still directly under the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.[4][13] As of November 2025, the size of the branch was estimated at around 10,000–20,000 servicemen.[1]
According to Colonel Sergey Ishtuganov, the VBS includes fully organised regiments, units, and a designated command structure.[14] A Higher Military School of Unmanned Systems is to be established.[3][15] Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies "Rubicon" is the premier unit of the branch.[16]
Active units
7th Separate Reconnaissance-strike Regiment of Unmanned systems[8]- 75th Separate Regiment of Unmanned systems[17]
- 77th Separate Regiment of Unmanned systems[17]
Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies "Rubicon"[16]
GROM "Cascade"[17]
Special Purpose Center "Bars-Sarmat" (formerly BARS Volunteer Detachment "Sarmat")[18][19]
Equipment
The Unmanned Systems Forces are primarily equipped with Unmanned aerial vehicles (both FPV and fiber-optic drones), but also with ground unmanned systems and unmanned boats.[20]
The VBS are designed to integrate various types of unmanned systems into a single organisational structure, tasked with performing several combat missions.[20]
See also
References
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