ISW: The Kremlin is ramping up the production of drones in an attempt to show compensation for the consequences of the war

According to analysts of the Institute for the Study of War, the Kremlin is increasing the production of drones amid efforts to show compensation for the social and economic consequences of the war in Ukraine.

Source: ISW

Literally: “The Kremlin continues to signal its commitment to improving Russian drone operations in Ukraine and drone production capabilities amid efforts to offset the social and economic effects of Russia’s protracted war.”

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Details: Russian Governor Vladimir Putin met with Russia’s Military-Industrial Commission on September 19 and discussed ongoing efforts to increase production of Russian drones.

He acknowledged that drones are an integral part of modern warfare, and that Russia’s war in Ukraine further confirmed that assessment.

Putin said that Russian companies delivered about 140,000 drones to the Russian military in 2023, and claimed that Russia plans to increase drone production tenfold (to 1.4 million drones) in 2024.

The ruler of the Kremlin emphasized that Russia should “constantly” increase its capabilities in the production of drones and increase the effectiveness of Russian-made UAVs in order to meet the needs of the Russian military.

He also praised Russian private initiatives in the production of drones.

Putin noted that private drones are not “inferior” to drones produced by state-owned defense companies, and that the Russian Defense Ministry allegedly thoroughly tests all drone models before handing them over to Russian troops at the front.

A DW investigation, however, has uncovered evidence that some Russian irregular forces may be testing newly developed drones in strikes against Ukrainian civilians, possibly to speed up testing.

Experts add that Russian bloggers constantly complain about the low quality of government drones and often praise private UAV production initiatives, calling them more efficient.

Literally: “Putin’s claims that Russia plans to increase drone production to 1.4 million units in 2024 are slightly lower than Ukraine’s planned drone production rate in 2024.

In March 2024, the Deputy Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, Hanna Hvozdyar, stated that Ukraine intends to produce two million drones in 2024, and Ukrainian officials have repeatedly emphasized that Ukraine prioritizes modernization and the continuous development of new drones to meet the needs of Ukrainian military personnel. .

ISW Key Findings for 19 September:

• Putin reportedly rejected Defense Ministry requests to compensate for Russian losses, announcing another wave of mobilization in the spring of 2024 to avoid the political costs of a forced call-up. Since then, Putin has remained committed to his crypto-mobilization campaign, limiting Russia’s mobilization potential.
• Mobilization in Russia remains unlikely in the near to medium term due to Putin’s personal fear that mobilization poses a direct threat to the stability of his regime.
• According to reports, the Russian authorities have tasked the Russian forces with pushing Ukrainian forces out of the Kursk region by mid-October 2024 and creating a “buffer zone” in the border areas of Ukraine along the border with Russia in northeastern Ukraine by the end of October – significant commitments that Russian the military is unlikely to be able to complete in such a short period of time.
• The Kremlin continues to signal its commitment to improving Russian drone operations and production capabilities in Ukraine amid efforts to offset the socio-economic effects of Russia’s prolonged military campaign.
• Putin said that Russia should ensure the “absence of obstacles” for the movement of Russian citizens between mainland Russia and the Kaliningrad region.
• It is reported that the transfer of Indian artillery shells through European intermediaries to Ukraine causes tension in Russian-Indian relations.
• The European Parliament called on member states to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range systems provided by the West to strike military targets in Russia.
• Recently, Ukrainian troops made a small advance in the Kursk region.
• Ukrainian troops have recently advanced near Pokrovsk, and Russian troops have advanced near Kharkiv, Svatovo, Siversk, Chasy Yaru, Pokrovsk, and Gulyaipol.
• During a meeting on the development of the Russian Armed Forces on September 18, Putin stated that the Kremlin aims to improve the system of personnel training at the federal level.