Media: Russia’s drone troops may be headed by ex-plumber known as “Yura Toilet”

The commander of Russia’s recently established Unmanned Systems Forces may be Yuri Vaganov, a former entrepreneur and volunteer involved in Russia’s so-called “special military operation,” according to the Russian Service of the BBC.

Vaganov, who is from Elektrostal in the Moscow Region, is widely known online by the nickname “Yura Toilet,” ASTRA reported.

According to pro-war Z-bloggers, before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Vaganov was engaged in the plumbing business. After February 24, 2022, he reportedly became actively involved in delivering humanitarian aid to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. He later emerged as one of the key suppliers of FPV drones to the Russian military, organising their production using 3D printers within the framework of the P. A. Sudoplatov volunteer battalion.

BBC sources say Vaganov’s nickname, “Yura Toilet,” stems from his earlier work in the plumbing trade. He was born in 1982 in what was then Stepanakert. Prior to the war, his last known place of employment was Citystroy-Group LLC.

In October 2025, Vaganov was awarded the Order of the Holy Prince Dmitry Donskoy, Third Class, by Patriarch Kirill. He attended the ceremony wearing a military uniform with lieutenant colonel insignia. As the BBC notes, if Vaganov’s appointment as commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces is officially confirmed, he would be entitled, by status, to receive a general’s rank insignia.

As of the time of publication, Russian authorities had not publicly commented on Vaganov’s possible appointment. The Unmanned Systems Forces were formally established in November 2025, and Defence Minister Andrei Belousov previously stated that the creation of the new branch of the armed forces was ordered by the president to be completed by the third quarter of 2025.

By Tamilla Hasanova