The new branch of the Russian military is expected to be formed already this year

Russia is in the process of establishing drone forces as a separate branch of the military, President Vladimir Putin has said, revealing that up to half of all battlefield kills in the Ukraine conflict come from UAVs.

The president made the remarks on Thursday during a meeting with top military and civilian officials dedicated to Russia's armament plan for the next decade. Unmanned systems have been playing a crucial role on the battlefield, and the scope of their use is only growing, Putin stated.

"They are capable of destroying armored vehicles, entrenchments, communication systems, transport, and enemy manpower. Our drone operators are currently responsible for a significant portion - up to 50% - of the destroyed and damaged enemy equipment and facilities," the president said.

Apart from the direct combat use, drones are widely employed for reconnaissance, electronic warfare, mining and demining, the president noted.

Russia is currently in the process of forming a dedicated drone force, Putin said, adding that its development and deployment must be as "swift and top-notch" as possible.

"I believe we have accumulated good experience in order to create this branch of the military. We are talking about training personnel, production, and deliveries of modern devices capable of enhancing the combat capabilities of our troops," the president said.

The establishment of the new branch of service - the Unmanned Systems Troops - was first announced last December as part of the effort to boost the use of unmanned technology on the battlefield. At the time, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov said the branch would be formed in the third quarter of this year.

(RT.com)