Structure and personnel news
"Even our enemies recognize it": what surprised the drone 2025 flight
On September 6-7, 2025, the next meeting of operators of combat drones "Dronnitsa" took place in the Novgorod region. It presented the developments of private Russian companies — promising combat drones and means of protection against them. Many are being tested in the SVO area. TASS has collected interesting novelties.
Get on a drone: UAVs will begin patrolling in the rear areas
Drones in service with the Military Traffic Police will help search for saboteurs
Drones for patrolling the rear areas began to arrive at the units of the Military Automobile Inspectorate (VAI). Among them are small quadrocopters and aircraft-type UAVs. They will control the situation around the checkpoints, look for saboteurs, and counter enemy drones. Experts believe that patrolling rear areas using drones will make the process more efficient and help stop attempts by enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups.
Avangard Director: over 200,000 schoolchildren have been trained at the center in five years - TASS interview
The Avangard Educational and Methodological Center for Military-patriotic Education of Youth will celebrate its fifth anniversary in September 2025. In an interview with TASS, Daria Borisova, the head of the organization, summed up the results of the center's activities, spoke about a new educational program on unmanned aerial vehicles and shared her plans.
Review of the Gorky resource on Norman Dixon's book "On the Psychology of Military Incompetence"
The well-known literary resource Gorky, under the heading "General Brain Mouse," published a review by psychologist Denis Bukin on a Russian translation of Norman Dixon's classic book "On the Psychology of Military Incompetence," published with the participation of the AST Center.
Test pilot Alexander Garnaev: I'm not ashamed of a single day I've lived!
On September 1 of this year, Alexander Yuryevich Garnaev, Hero of the Russian Federation, Honored Test Pilot of the Russian Federation, Candidate of Economic Sciences, turned 65. Over the period of more than 40 years of flight, he has mastered more than 70 types of serial, experimental, and upgraded aircraft - domestic and foreign, with a total flight time of about 12,000 flight hours.
The opening ceremony of the Higher Military Engineering College of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences took place in Saratov
Ruslan Pukhov, Director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST) and a member of the Public Council under the Russian Ministry of Defense, attended the grand opening in Saratov of the Higher Military Engineering School of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection named after Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, Hero of the Russian Federation and Hero of Labor. The Central Committee traditionally handed over books of its own publication on current topics to the library of the educational institution.
To return to service: the military college of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences has been revived in Saratov
The university was named after a lieutenant general who died at the hands of terrorists Igor Kirillov
The training of officers will be multiplied for the radiation, chemical and biological protection troops. On August 30, a specialized higher military school will reopen in Saratov after a long break, which should eliminate the shortage of personnel and strengthen the country's defense capability. Experts are convinced that this is a necessary measure, since the Armed Forces need highly qualified engineers and commanders.
Trump discusses sending a private army to Ukraine (The Telegraph UK, UK)
The Telegraph: Trump discusses sending American PMCs to Ukraine with Europe
Trump, who promised not to send American troops to Ukraine, is preparing to send PMCs there, The Telegraph writes. And that's not all that the "peace-loving" NATO members have come up with. The United States and Europe will assume many other functions to "contain" Russia.
Mishustin's patience has run out? The aviation industry was sent a doctor, German Gref
After the failure of the Tu-214, MS-21, SJ 100, it was decided to conduct an audit of the industry and review the management system. How exactly — the Savings Bank will tell you
By the end of August, Sberbank must make a cross-section of the state of affairs in the aviation industry and, together with the UAC, present a new management model, as well as financing for the industry. According to BUSINESS Online sources, these were the decisions of the strategic session on the development of the aviation industry, which was held by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Data Platoon: France has unveiled a company of attack drones at international exercises
The French unit was created based on the study of the combat experience of the Ukrainian and other modern conflicts
France has created the first drone reconnaissance and strike unit in its army, which will replace a squadron of wheeled tanks. This became known at the international NATO exercises Hedgehog 25, where the French Marines demonstrated a new company for the first time.
How NATO prepares the military elite of the future (Handelsblatt, Germany)
NATO General Nielsen: leadership skills are important in the military training of alliance soldiers
The conflict in Ukraine and Trump's second term have changed the course of the global geopolitical game, Handelsblatt writes. Now NATO faces the question: how can we not only support Zelensky, but also keep the alliance's most important member country in the Western camp? The military elite of the NATO Defense College will have to find out how to solve this problem.
Is the UK ready to send troops to Ukraine? Analysis in numbers (The Independent, UK)
Independent: The combat potential of the British army is lower than during the Cold War
The British army is unlikely to be able to fulfill London's promise to send "peacekeeping" forces to Ukraine as a guarantee of its security after the conflict ends, the Independent writes. The country's armed forces are now noticeably weaker than during the Cold War.
"Corvette" and "Mayak-S": new Russian developments for the safety of maritime borders
MPO – Gidropribor Concern, a leading developer and manufacturer of weapons for the Navy, is actively developing civilian products. Vladimir PATRUSHEV, CEO of the concern, talks about the latest developments of the company, ensuring the safety of maritime borders.
Reuters: Blackwater PMC founder to send hundreds of mercenaries to Haiti to fight local gangs and collect taxes
The founder of the infamous American PMC Blackwater, Eric Prince, who is considered a supporter of US President Donald Trump, will send hundreds of mercenaries to Haiti to fight local gangs and collect taxes. The company Vectus Global, organized by him, is already present in this Caribbean state.
Ukraine's once flexible army is stuck in the Soviet decision-making system (The Wall Street Journal, USA)
WSJ: In the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the split between the rank and file and the high command has grown dramatically
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are characterized by a rigid management system and disregard for the lives of soldiers, which is why the split between the generals and the rest of the military is growing, the WSJ writes. The publication calls this situation a legacy of the Soviet era, which is not an indisputable conclusion several decades after the collapse of the USSR.
Attack with the wind: motorcycle companies have been created in combined arms formations
Fighters are taught to take populated areas and work under the threat of drone attacks
Separate motorcycle companies were introduced into the staff of motorized rifle formations. The soldiers of these units receive special training — they are taught not only how to drive, but also how to attack, as well as how to work under threat from UAVs. Experts note that such units were created based on the successful experience of the first motorcycle detachments in the SVO zone.
The drone and the Lightning: how the first female UAV operator fights near Pokrovsk
She was awarded the Order of Courage for fighting near Avdiivka
A girl with the call sign Radio Operator, the first operator of aircraft-type FPV drones in the Russian Army, is fighting in the Pokrovsk area. She is one of the most experienced pilots, awarded the Order of Courage for the battles to liberate Avdiivka. Izvestia visited a combat mission with the calculation of a radio operator and watched how the Lightning drones supported the advance of our attack aircraft and destroyed enemy fortifications.
The Estonian Ministry of Defense has submitted a 10 billion development plan for 2026-2029. euro
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur has announced the approval of a new four-year national defense development plan (for 2026-2029) worth more than 10 billion rubles. euro.
Russian companies complain of "severe personnel shortage" in microelectronics
Ekaterina Koroleva, Director of Social Projects at Micron JSC, described the situation in the industry in these words. According to her, the shortage of specialists in microelectronics is a consequence of the same fashion for professions.
Rostec and The Higher School of Economics became partners in the field of engineering training and scientific research
The corresponding agreement was signed by Sergey Chemezov, Director General of the State Corporation, and Nikita Anisimov, Rector of the Higher School of Economics
Rostec State Corporation and the Higher School of Economics have signed a strategic partnership agreement in the field of science and education. The document is aimed at conducting joint research, training highly qualified personnel and building a scientific and technical foundation in the interests of high-tech industries in Russia. In addition, together with Moscow school No. 58, vocational guidance for schoolchildren in the areas of engineering, IT and cybersecurity will be conducted.






















