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Putin calls for meeting Russian army’s demand for drones

The Russian leader emphasized that "drones of various classes have already become an indispensable attribute of modern combat operations"

ST. PETERSBURG, September 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has set a task to completely meet the Russian army’s demand for drones.

"We need to completely meet the Armed Forces' needs [demand for unmanned vehicles]. For this purpose we need to consistently increase the production of unmanned vehicles, improve their tactical and technical characteristics in various ways, including the introduction of artificial intelligence, and constantly upgrade them considering combat experience," Putin said at a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission.

"Almost every week sees a certain upgrade. The one who reacts faster to these requirements emerges the winner on the battlefield," Putin said.

He said that on the agenda of the current meeting was "a set of issues related to the development of special-purpose unmanned aircraft systems."

"The topic is important and crucial. It has now become clear to everyone around the world. It is directly related to ensuring the country's security," Putin noted.

He emphasized that "drones of various classes have already become an indispensable attribute of modern combat operations," and "the effectiveness of multi-purpose use of unmanned systems on the battlefield has been confirmed during the special military operation."

Putin said that at the Special Technology Center enterprise he saw "cutting-edge unmanned aircraft systems capable of carrying expected payloads and equipped with special software, including artificial intelligence technologies, as well as other samples of weapons and equipment being developed and produced by the domestic industry."

"In the production process the manufacturers use advanced technologies and new engineering solutions, which enable our military units to gain an advantage on the battlefield," Putin noted, adding that "many other organizations of the military-industrial complex, whose products had also demonstrated their effectiveness during the special military operation, are working in the same direction."

"I would like to say a great big thank you to the chiefs and employees of these enterprises for the high-quality and reliable equipment they deliver," Putin said.

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