Support The Moscow Times!

Putin Tours St. Petersburg Drone Manufacturing Plant

Valery Sharifulin / POOL / TASS

President Vladimir Putin made an unannounced visit Thursday to a drone manufacturing facility in St. Petersburg that produces reconnaissance aircraft for the Russian military to use in Ukraine.

The Kremlin released a brief video showing Putin arriving at the Special Technological Center alongside Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Kremlin aide Alexei Dyumin and other senior officials.

According to a Kremlin statement, the facility specializes in producing unmanned aerial vehicles, electronic warfare systems and communication equipment. Founded in 2001, the center oversees a full production cycle, from development to serial production, as well as maintenance and repairs.

The manufacturing plant is known for producing the Orlan family of reconnaissance drones, which have been vital to Russian military operations in Ukraine. Former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said last year that the supply of Orlan drones had increased 53-fold since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

During his visit to the facility, Putin was shown a variety of military technologies, including robotic systems, tracked platforms, kamikaze drones and barrage ammunition, according to the state-run news agency TASS.

In a videoconference later on Thursday, Putin revealed that the Russian army received 140,000 drones last year, with plans to increase supplies by tenfold in the coming year.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more