Russia builds new UAV command centre and stops Ukrainian drone strike on Rostov airport

Russia has reorganised its armed forces to better exploit unmanned aerial systems after more than four years of fighting in Ukraine. The Rubicon Centre for Advanced Unmanned Technologies was created in August 2024 to speed the spread of UAV innovations across the Russian military, and a newly formed 50th Unmanned Systems Division now operates FPV and long‑range attack drones, targeting fuel depots, logistics routes and rear‑area infrastructure.

At the same time, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced it had disrupted a Ukrainian plan dubbed “Operation Spiderweb 2”, which aimed to use 13 AI‑guided FPV drones to attack the Rostov‑Tsentralny military airfield in Rostov‑on‑Don. The plot was uncovered after a Ukrainian‑recruited Russian citizen reported the scheme, allowing authorities to neutralise the UAVs before they could strike. The thwarted attack would have targeted transport aircraft, helicopters and logistics capabilities at the base.

Both developments illustrate how the two sides are continually adapting drone tactics and counter‑measures in the ongoing conflict.