Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered sweeping changes to Russia’s military strategy and production priorities, including accelerating the development of unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, and laser weaponry.
The announcement followed a high-level meeting of the Russian military-industrial commission on April 23, where the future direction of the country’s armed forces was reviewed, according to a report by Komsomolskaya Pravda.
Putin stated that Russia’s defense industry is operating at full capacity, fulfilling nearly all of last year’s state defense orders, and even exceeding some targets.
According to figures cited by the president, more than 4,000 armored vehicles, including tanks and personnel carriers, along with 180 aircraft and helicopters, were delivered to the Russian military in the past year. Frontline units are reportedly receiving around 4,000 First-Person View (FPV) drones daily.
Despite these deliveries, Putin admitted that Russia faces a persistent shortage of drones on the battlefield.
“Our servicemen on the front line are eagerly awaiting these drones,” he said. “They have become a decisive factor in today’s warfare.”
Putin emphasized that the experience gained during the ongoing military operations, referred to by Moscow as a “special military operation,” is driving innovation in Russian military technology.
“We are seeing real breakthroughs in military equipment,” he said, adding that some developments are “unique” and “first of their kind globally.”
The Russian president directed a revision of military training programs, ordering updates to curricula at military academies and officer schools. He also called for a complete overhaul of army field manuals, from the platoon level to corps and combined-arms formations, reflecting the “transformative” changes in battlefield tactics, particularly the diminished role of tank assaults and the rise of drone warfare.
Looking further ahead, Putin tasked defense planners with forecasting the nature of warfare over the next five, ten, and fifteen years. “Military evolution is accelerating,” he said.
Putin also underscored the importance of space-based assets, calling for the completion of a satellite constellation capable of providing encrypted communications, reconnaissance, and early-warning capabilities in contested environments. “Satellites are now at the core of all warfare,” he said.
On advanced weapons development, Putin prioritized the acceleration of robotic systems, unmanned maritime platforms, and laser-based air defense systems.
“Light travels at unmatched speed,” he said, suggesting that laser weapons could form the backbone of Russia’s next-generation air defense.
He concluded by referencing undisclosed “ace card” systems under development at Russian research centers and design bureaus.
“We must analyze these projects carefully and not abandon them prematurely,” he said.