MOSCOW, February 23. /TASS/. Russia has become a leading country in the field of unmanned systems, although this had not previously been considered a strong area of the nation’s defense industry, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said in a conversation with servicemen. A video of the remarks was published on his Max channel.

"In the past, it was believed that unmanned systems were not our strong suit. Yes, that’s true. Missiles — yes, aircraft — yes, tanks — yes, and much else besides. But drones — that was not our forte. And now we are a leading country in this respect. That is indeed the case," he said.

Medvedev added that the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industry was created almost "from scratch" by enthusiasts at the beginning of the special military operation, as there had been virtually no prior discussion of drones at that time.

"When everything began — at the start of the special military operation — there was, of course, absolutely no talk about UAVs. Moreover, as I mentioned yesterday and can tell you today, there were no particular hopes pinned on this area, and we had no relevant competencies. The creation of the UAV industry — that is, the drone sector — initially took place ‘from scratch,’ driven by enthusiasts who combined their efforts, with some investing their own personal funds. Later, the Defense Ministry naturally joined the effort," he said.