Russia more than doubled drone deliveries to its armed forces in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, Deputy Defense Minister Alexey Krivoruchko said during a meeting of the Defense Ministry Board.

Krivoruchko outlined progress on priority tasks set by Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov in December 2025. The key areas include the development of unmanned systems forces and the supply of modern weapons and military equipment to the Russian Armed Forces.

During the first six months of 2026, the ministry focused on providing troop groups with weapons, as well as combat-ready military and special-purpose equipment. Procurement and deployment of advanced systems also continued, including unmanned aerial vehicles.

According to Krivoruchko, the increased volume of UAV deliveries is intended to secure an advantage over the enemy. Newly established unmanned systems units are also receiving equipment and other resources required for combat missions in the special military operation zone.

Personnel training has become another major part of the program. The Defense Ministry has established a unified training system for specialists and introduced the necessary courses.

Training centers prepare both individual servicemen and complete units. The program also includes combat coordination exercises using standard equipment.

More than 8,000 unmanned systems specialists completed training in the first half of 2026, Krivoruchko said.