Russia opens first drone command centre at Kamchatka naval base

Russia has established its first “unmanned aerial vehicle command centre” at a naval facility in Kamchatka.

The new hub is designed to manage reconnaissance and strike drones, including the Forpost and Orion (formerly Inokhodets) models, Caliber.Az reports, citing the defence portal of Ukraine

Officials say the drones will be tasked with monitoring key facilities, bolstering security along the Northern Sea Route, and safeguarding a strategic base for nuclear submarines.

The centre will collect and analyse intelligence gathered by the UAVs to improve operational efficiency and provide round-the-clock surveillance in designated areas.

Russian outlets emphasise that protecting the submarine base includes ensuring vessels can leave for the open ocean without interference.

The development comes amid heightened tensions, after the United States recently deployed two Ohio-class nuclear-armed submarines near Russian territory in response to threats from former president Dmitry Medvedev.

Earlier this year, Ukrainian forces claimed to have destroyed a rare Russian-Israeli Forpost-R drone using an air-defence UAV — a strike described by military analysts as a significant escalation in drone warfare.

To recall, Medvedev invoked Russia’s Cold War-era “Dead Hand” system in a social media post, warning U.S. President Donald Trump to consider how "dangerous" such escalating nuclear rhetoric could be. This provocation prompted Trump to deploy two U.S. nuclear submarines closer to Russian territory as a precautionary measure

Following Russia’s decision to abandon its self-imposed moratorium on deploying short- and intermediate-range nuclear-capable missiles, Medvedev cautioned Western powers to “expect further steps.” He directly attributed this policy reversal to NATO’s anti-Russian posture.

By Aghakazim Guliyev