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The discussion focused on equipping the Armed Forces with unmanned aircraft.

The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and First Deputy Defence Minister Valery Gerasimov, Deputy Defence Minister Alexei Krivoruchko, Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces Sergei Surovikin, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Nikolai Yevmenov, Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces Sergei Karakayev, Chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff and Deputy Chief of the General Staff Sergei Rudskoy, Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff and Deputy Chief of the General Staff Igor Kostyukov, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces for Armaments Yury Grekhov, First Deputy Chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff Viktor Poznikhir, and Head of the Interbranch Research Directorate of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff Yevgeny Shmyrin.

Also invited to the meeting were Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov, First Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Military-Industrial Commission Andrei Yelchaninov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Oleg Ryazantsev, CEO of Rostec State Corporation Sergei Chemezov, General Director of the Ural Works of Civil Aviation Vadim Badekha, General Director of Kronstadt JSC Sergei Bogatikov, General Director and Chairman of the Management Board of the United Aircraft Corporation Yury Slyusar.

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Beginning of the meeting with Defence Ministry leadership and heads of defence industry enterprises

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

Today we will continue our work and discuss the development of unmanned aircraft.

We know very well that they have won a reputation during armed conflicts over the past few years, we know their efficiency and the danger they can pose for us, in the context of what we have seen in Syria, namely, terrorist attacks involving drones. We have learned to repel these attacks, and we are doing this effectively.

Today, we have over 2,000 unmanned aircraft. It is necessary to continue working on them in the same intensive manner, just as we have been doing recently, and this involves the use of artificial intelligence and the most advanced achievements of technology and science. Of course, we must bear in mind the experience that we have accumulated in using these aircraft and the analysis of what we are witnessing around us.

Let us get to work.

Mr Sergei Surovikin has the floor.

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