1/ QUICK TAKE - Russia’s Dmitry Rogozin (former head of Roskosmos and self-styled mil-tech volunteer) sounds impressed and concerned with Ukrainian drones: “They fly in entire squadrons consisting of pairs of heavy Baba Yaga attack UAVs - each drone carries up to 6 munitions and is extremely dangerous.”
2/ “An FPV is flying next to "Baba Yaga", but it is not a kamikaze drone, but a reusable one. This type of drone is capable of diving onto a target and dropping ammo on it - like an unmanned Junkers bomber.”
3/ “It is not difficult to distinguish them from each other - “Baba Yaga” is massive and FPVs are nimble and faster. Their mode of operation is different, their battery discharges faster, and if the drone returns to base, another FPV immediately takes its place.”
4/ “Therefore, the “carousel” of drones that I observed above me was not at all chaotic. Quite the opposite - Ukrainian proven tactics are obvious, determined by the operating life of the drones and their role and purpose. And on the sides of this trio of killers are their accomplices, DJI drones, that conduct additional reconnaissance.”
5/ “Naturally, they are all equipped with high-quality thermal imaging cameras. They fly like this along all the front-line roads, comb forest belts, identify new situations and objects, hover over them, study them and, if they confirm that the target is worth it, drop ammunition on it.”
6/ “When a ZU-23 anti aircraft gun began firing on drones a few kilometers away from us, all the Ukrainian drone groups interrupted their flight and immediately moved towards the detected target, methodically destroying it.” t.me/rogozin_do/5665
7/ “Now Ukrainian strike drones can fly 15-17 km deep from the frontlines.”
8/ “If at least three of our servicemen are detected in a group, Ukrainians report to their HQ, and a command is immediately given to strike the coordinates with at least two cluster shells. A fixed-wing drone is circling above all this unruly horde of enemy drones…”
9/ “… - a reconnaissance drone. It coordinates a UAV squadron or even several enemy drone squadrons, ensuring their complete and undivided air supremacy. This is scary s**t…”
10/ This is not the first time Russians were afraid of Ukraine’s Baba Yaga drones - Russian forces still have no equivalent to that versatile UAV. forbes.com/sites/davidaxe…
11/ And Russians are studying Ukrainian drone tactics very closely in the hopes of mirror-imaging such concepts with their own UAVs.
12/ Finally, Rogozin’s lament points to a relative lack of Russian EW and CUAS to deal with these Ukrainian drones.
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1/ Russia's Alexey Chadaev, a prominent volunteer and CEO of Ushkuynik that manufactures "KVN" fiber-optic drone, on the alternative to Starlink: "The most obvious approach is to establish mass production of stratospheric blimps that could act as communication platforms..." t.me/chadayevru/4480
2/ "...remaining at an altitude of several tens of kilometers above a given area for months (beyond the reach of enemy air defenses), with minimal energy consumption and comparative ease of maintenance."
3/ "Most importantly, they don't require spaceports or rockets for launch. Prototypes of such solutions were even presented at the previous Dronnitsa (2025), and some of our "Ushkuyinik" residents have them."
1/ QUICK TAKE: Russia's Rybar, an active pro-Kremlin TG channel, is at it again - "What if "Geran-2 drones were launched at America from Cuba?": "Given the current US actions, the main question is not whether the US will strike Cuba, but when and how." t.me/rybar/77101x.com/sambendett/sta…
2/ "Cuba, along with Venezuela and Nicaragua, has been an anti-American stronghold in the Caribbean region, and after the overthrow of Maduro, US interest has increased. But what will the Cubans do in the event of a conflict?"
3/ "Let's hypothetically imagine that Havana decides to fight back against the Americans and wants to wage war. And this is where the now familiar "Geran" attack drones could come to the rescue. What targets could be threatened if these UAVs were deployed?"
1/ QUICK TAKE from a Ukrainian mil blogger on the formation of Russia's 50th Unmanned Systems Forces Brigade in Yeysk area, Rostov region. Its estimated active date is December 1, 2026. The brigade has the following units: t.me/zvizdecmanhust…
2/ The brigade will include the following number of UAV, UGV and USV crews:
- Forpost/Inokhodets UAVs – 4
- Orlan/Supercam UAVs - 150
- Lancet loitering munitions - 22
- Geran-type attack UAVs - 21
- aerial targets – 6
- FPV quadcopter type – 52
- FPV fixed-wing type – 52
1/ THREAD on the impact of the Ukraine combat on the Russian capacity to fight the emerging warfare style, described by Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST). Main points below: kommersant.ru/doc/8380069x.com/sambendett/sta…
2/ "The events of the war in Ukraine have demonstrated a fundamentally new form of large-scale military conflict, characterized by a shift from the "mechanized warfare" of the industrial era to "drone warfare," or "digital" ("information") warfare of the post-industrial era."
3/ "In fact, we are now witnessing a new revolution in military affairs – the "drone revolution," and it is clear that this revolution will continue to develop and deepen, as the possibilities for expanding "drone warfare" clearly outweigh the possibilities and prospects for overcoming it."
1/ THREAD: Now that the Rus MOD has signaled that the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) are established, here is a take from Rus mil commentators on what USF can mean for the larger force - main points translated in this thread below. t.me/gvZapad/17121x.com/sambendett/sta…
2/ "People: Without developing human potential, nothing will work. We need to change approaches, constantly improve UxS training, and, once again, learn to value the personnel in whom we've invested so much time and money. The quality of work improves with experience."
3/ "Mistakes are inevitable, and people must be unafraid to make them if progress is to be high-quality. We can't send drone operators to assault units, as some commanders do. Otherwise, the whole process becomes meaningless. Plugging (tactical) holes on the battlefield is a consequence of many problems."
1/ THREAD on the new "digital warfare" as seen in Ukraine, described Russia's Gen(ret) Yuri Baluyevsky, former Chief of the General Staff in 2004-2008, and Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST). Main points below: globalaffairs.ru/articles/czifr…
2/ "There's every reason to believe that the "digital warfare" process will continue to expand and deepen, as the potential for escalating "drone warfare" exceeds the ability to effectively counter this type of weaponry."
3/ "The miniaturization and cost reduction of componentry, along with the development of networked solutions (specifically networked ones; the trendy artificial intelligence will likely remain a secondary factor for a long time to come) are leading to combat operations..."