Putin appoints Denis Lyamin to lead Russia's new drone warfare branch

During a broadcast with senior defence ministry leaders, President Vladimir Putin appointed Denis Lyamin to command the freshly established Unmanned Systems Forces, the segment of the Russian military responsible for drone deployment. Lyamin, who previously served as chief of staff for the Centre group engaged in Ukraine, was praised as a highly qualified specialist and instructed to complete the formation of the new unit soon.

The announcement forms part of a broader reorganisation that sees Centre commander Valery Solodchuk shift to head overall military logistics, while Andrei Ivanayev, formerly in charge of the Eastern group, assumes command of the Centre. Drones have become central to the conflict, used along the 1,200-kilometre front and for strikes on distant targets such as energy sites. Ukraine recently created its own long-range impact command, highlighting the growing importance of unmanned aerial capabilities on both sides.