Putin names head of new Russian drone forces in military reshuffle

Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Denis Lyamin to head the newly established Unmanned Systems Forces, a military branch focused on drone warfare.

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ​named Denis Lyamin to ‌head Russia's ​Unmanned Systems Forces, a newly established branch of the military that will be responsible for drone warfare. Putin announced ‌the appointment as part of what he called "refinement" of the military structure, mid-way through the fifth year of the war in Ukraine. Drones have come to dominate the conflict, ‌with each side deploying them not only along the 1,200 km (750-mile) front line but ‌also for attacks at sea and on targets deep behind enemy lines such as energy infrastructure and commercial warehouses. Ukraine announced the creation of its own "long-range impact" command last month. Putin, directly addressing Lyamin ⁠at ​a televised meeting ⁠with defence ministry chiefs, said he was "one of the most qualified specialists" to take charge of the ⁠new drone forces. He tasked him with completing their formation and taking command "in the near future". Lyamin ​was previously chief of staff for the "Centre" group of Russian forces fighting in ⁠Ukraine. He graduated from a tank command school and has a background in the ground forces. Putin ⁠described ​the "Centre" group as a key part of Russia's efforts to capture the entirety of the Donetsk region, a top priority for Moscow in the war. In a ⁠reshuffle announced at the same meeting, he said that Centre commander Valery Solodchuk would ⁠move to a ⁠new position in charge of all military logistics and be replaced by Andrei Ivanayev, previously in charge of the Eastern group ‌of forces.