The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports that the increased centralization of drone procurement for the Russian Armed Forces’ Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) may have both positive and negative consequences for the Russian army. Analysts reached this conclusion in their report published on April 14.
This is reported by Finway
Who Controls the Distribution of Drones
At the core of ISW’s assessment is a statement from one of the Russian “war correspondents,” who claims that the Main Department of Advanced Inter-Service Research and Special Projects of the Ministry of Defense of Russia will no longer distribute drones among all frontline units. Instead, it is stated that UAS Commander Colonel Yuri Vaganov will personally oversee the distribution of drones within the forces.
According to the “war correspondent,” this system will create a shortage of drones in the regular army units, and he accused Vaganov of being involved in military corruption.
“This new system is likely to create a state monopoly on procurement, which will foster greater corruption and undermine the practice of volunteer-based procurement,” the authors of the report suggest.
Possible Consequences of Centralization
ISW emphasizes that it cannot independently verify these claims, but such information aligns with the ongoing efforts of the Russian Federation to centralize informal specialized drone units and the drone procurement system.
According to analysts, centralized control over the distribution of drones may enable Russian forces to concentrate drones and provide certain areas with better-trained personnel. At the same time, this will limit flexibility and the ability to quickly implement innovations in this field.
Furthermore, ISW indicates that the establishment of a state monopoly on drone procurement could lead to an increase in corruption levels and negatively affect volunteer initiatives aimed at supplying the army with necessary equipment.
According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, at the beginning of April, the number of personnel in Russia’s Unmanned Aerial Systems reached 101,000, and by the end of 2026, the Russian Federation plans to increase this figure to 165,500.