Commander of “Achilles” on the expansion of the Russian “Rubicon”: There was a company – and suddenly it became a battalion.

Russian center “Rubicon” maintains leadership in increasing unmanned systems

The Russian “Rubicon” division is rapidly increasing its unmanned capabilities, utilizing human and financial resources that Ukraine cannot afford, believes Ukrainian military officer Yuriy Fedorenko.

The commander of the 429th separate unmanned systems regiment “Achilles” Yuriy Fedorenko noted in an interview for LIGA.net that “Rubicon” is Russia’s response to Ukraine’s “Drone Line”. After the successful launch of the Ukrainian program, the Russians began creating “Rubicon” units with a unified system of training and task execution, based on each of their military groups.

Fedorenko emphasizes that the Russian division can effortlessly increase its staff through financial incentives, while Ukraine needs much more effort to attract specialists. According to the officer, Russia actively uses resources obtained from oil and gas to engage citizens in service tasks. Youth aged 16-17 are trained as pilots, and once they turn 18, they are motivated to participate in military actions.

Russian “Rubicon” has the priority of obtaining the newest technology and equipment, Fedorenko notes. This allows them to focus on a narrow range of tasks, such as blocking certain areas. The Ukrainian approach is significantly different: various systems are produced locally.

In addition to financial resources, the ability to mobilize qualified specialists is considered an important component of success. Officer of GUR “Azimuth” added that behind “Rubicon” stands Russian military intelligence, and among the key management figures is mentioned the minister of defense of Russia. “Rubicon” recruiters are allowed to attract specialists from different parts of the armed forces.