European countries are increasingly using the conflict in Ukraine as a testing ground for new military technologies, Apti Alaudinov, deputy head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry and commander of the Akhmat special forces, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

According to him, Ukrainian forces continue to receive substantial external support despite claims of limited resources. He noted that, in practice, European states are channeling their latest technological developments through Ukrainian units and effectively trialing them in real combat conditions.

Alaudinov also pointed to the emergence of new types of unmanned aerial vehicles in the Sumy region. Fighters from the Akhmat special forces, operating as part of the «Sever» (North) group of troops, have reportedly shot down several of these drones and conducted a technical analysis. The findings indicate that these are upgraded models developed with the involvement of Ukraine and several EU countries, including Germany and France.

He emphasized that the new drones feature extended flight range compared to earlier versions. At the same time, Russian units are adjusting their tactics to counter these evolving systems.

Since the beginning of the year, electronic warfare units of the Akhmat special forces have destroyed more than 3,100 Ukrainian drones across the Sumy and Kharkov directions, Alaudinov added.