A Russian shadow laboratory for new military tactics is rapidly advancing, according to Kyiv military sources. The most elite drone center, Rubicon (also spelled Rubikon), is now focused on eliminating Ukrainian operators and operates in hot spots along the front, the Financial Times reported. 

Ukrainian soldiers say the defense of Pokrovsk was “like a holiday” for Ukrainian forces before Rubikon entered this sector of the front.

Armed, aggressive Russia is experimenting with new methods of warfare. Without support from the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the form of air defence, electronic warfare, and intelligence, Russian offensives become more dangerous.

New survival rule on the front 

“Be humble, be silent, mask your position, and don’t move when it’s not necessary. Best to sit in your trench and watch Instagram," jokes Ukrainian operator Dmytro.

According to experts, Rubikon has roughly 5,000 fighters and large financial resources. Its task is to disrupt Ukrainian logistics, destroy drone command teams, and train other Russian units.

Russian Rubikon has no days off

“They have a lot of people, and that means they can work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They can change teams every five hours, they can sleep. It’s more difficult for us because we don’t have many people to rotate all the time, and we still need to sleep," said another Ukrainian soldier. 

Meanwhile, Rob Lee of the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute notes that Rubikon has become a center of Russian army innovation, developing new tactics and technologies. 

"It’s more than a unit; it is a centre — a centre for all kinds of unmanned systems development," he says. 

Now Kyiv must counter the highly organized Rubikon strategy by developing its own clear, centralized battle plan, he added.

In response, the Ukrainian forces are creating their own “anti‑drone” groups, changing tactics, better camouflaging positions, and restricting movement.

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Ukrainian FP-2 drone carrying 105kg warhead eliminates Rubikon officers in occupied Avdiivka

Maximum access to technology

Earlier, LIGA.net reported that Russian military intelligence and Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov stand behind the Rubikon center, according to a Ukrainian Defense Intelligence officer with the callsign "Azimut". 

The officer added that Rubikon shows “strong political will and a large role” of Russian special services directly in organizing this structure.

The intelligence officer also noted that elitism indeed exists within Rubikon. For example, recruiters for this unit have the right to take personnel from any units.

“They simply arrive — and have full access to pilots from other combined-arms units," said the officer. 

Therefore, he noted, due to political will, this formation has “maximum opportunities for its development and maximum access to financing and technologies.”

Earlier, the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence reported that its soldiers had discovered the Rubikon base in Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast. The city fell under Russian control in 2014.

Using precise coordinates of Russia's position, Ukrainian intelligence operators directed its new FP-2 unmanned aerial vehicle, equipped with a 105-kilogram warhead, toward the Russian target amid dense urban terrain. 

As a result of the strike, Ukrainian Intelligence eliminated Russian officers and drone operators from the unit who were inside their headquarters.

Ukraine has become a drone superpower, producing about 4 million unmanned aerial vehicles of various types each year. For comparison, some estimates put US military drone production at roughly 100,000 units per year, Bloomberg reports. 

Ukraine’s drone era began with Turkish Bayraktar TB2s. Ukraine purchased its first Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles in 2019. These drones have significantly strengthened the capabilities of Kyiv's forces since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war. Today, Ukraine produces most of its drones itself with the support of its allies. 

Ukraine's drone variety exceeds NATO arsenals

Now, Ukrainian companies, facing acute funding shortages, are eager to share their drone expertise and create safer production lines aimed at European armies that want to stockpile weapons.

“It’s not just the quantity of drones, it’s the variety. Probably more than all NATO countries combined right now," said RAND analyst Michael Bohnert.

That variety includes long-range strike drones, as well as inexpensive first-person-view (FPV) attack drones.

Increasingly, Ukrainian air defenses are also using interceptor drones. Ukraine and the UK plan to begin joint production of such drones in the coming months to counter swarms of Russian drones.

FlyWell wants $50 million to manufacture drones on European soil

• Some Ukrainian drone makers have already entered the EU market. For example, Skyeton opened a facility in Slovakia and has announced partnerships with Denmark and the UK. The company produces reconnaissance UAVs capable of flying for up to 24 hours.
• Another Ukrainian firm, TSIR, is now operating in Finland and is preparing to launch a production line for tactical quadcopters that can cover up to 15 kilometers and are used for reconnaissance and strikes along the front line, in a joint venture with Finnish partner Summa Defence Plc.
• FlyWell brings together several Ukrainian companies that produce aerial, ground, and maritime drones intended for reconnaissance and strikes on Russian targets from the front line to ranges of up to 2,000 kilometers. FlyWell plans to raise about $50 million to fund European manufacturing and R&D projects.

Currently, Summa Defence is self-funding production and has already created prototypes of three models that could enter mass production immediately after testing in Ukraine, CEO Yussi Holopainen said. Some of the output is intended for NATO countries, but Ukraine remains the priority.

Offices in Berlin and Copenhagen

Denmark allocated nearly $77 million this year to help Ukrainian arms manufacturers establish operations on its territory. The first project is expected to begin producing rocket fuel this year for Fire Point, a Ukrainian company developing the Flamingo cruise missile with a range of 3,000 kilometers.

Ukraine plans to open offices in Berlin and Copenhagen this year to market weapons, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 3 November. This is about joint production and the export of weapons that Ukraine can afford to sell in order to raise funds for domestic production of scarce items that Kyiv currently lacks funding for.

Russian drones now build a web of relays and defy electronic warfare. Russia is rapidly deploying and refining remote control of long-range drones over mesh networks. In October 2025, the occupiers already used this approach to hunt Ukrainian trains, says Serhii Beskrestnov, also known as Flash, as per Defense Express.

From Chinese mesh modems to relay drones that keep functioning under fire

Flash explains that Russia turned to Chinese manufacturers to turn the idea into reality. It specially ordered mesh modems, nominally labelled as Wi-Fi gear, operating in the 1300–1500 MHz band, and uses technology that differs from conventional Wi-Fi.

Each unit costs approximately $7,000 and can deliver an output of 10–20 W per channel, allowing for links of 100 km or more.

These modems provide a digital, encrypted connection that is relatively resistant to electronic interference by using cross-frequency distribution techniques. Each modem also acts as a relay: airborne modems on drones form a chain network in which data packets automatically reroute if a node disappears.

As a result, even if many platforms are shut down, the network remains operational. The drones that survive keep the links and forward data. 

“Each modem is not just a transmission point but also a relay for others. In the air, modems on drones create communications channels between themselves. Each of them tries to link to the next, and if one drops out, the information is routed around through another channel,” Beskrestnov explains.

From Gerbera to Shahed: scaling the tech for attacks on moving targets

Russia has been refining this technology for about a year. Flash noted that even if 80% of the drones are destroyed, the remainder can still relay information. Initially, Moscow tested the system on small foam drones, such as the “Gerbera", used for rear-area reconnaissance and relaying signals back toward Russian territory.

Seeing the concept’s effectiveness, the Russians began installing mesh modems on Shahed drones, enabling online control from Russian soil.

Technically, the network can provide throughput up to ~50 MB/s, and in degraded conditions, around 2 MB/s, which is enough to stream optimized high-definition video and allow FPV control with acceptable latency.

Although Shaheds are not highly maneuverable, their capabilities are sufficient to attack predictable moving targets, such as trains whose speed and route are known. An operator controlling a drone online can approach from the rear and strike a locomotive or tanker.

“These Shaheds can not only hit GPS coordinates like a substation but can also strike its most vulnerable point... We prioritize detecting these modems by their signal and jamming them with electronic warfare,” Flash says.

Modems that only switch on near the target, and ground relays on balconies

A Shahed with a mesh modem may only power the modem at a specific coordinate near the target — i.e., these modems don’t need to broadcast continuously and may activate just before strike.

Beyond airborne nodes, the Russians can set up ground relays: the modems are compact and can be installed on balconies or rooftops with internet access. Such ground nodes don’t need high antennas to communicate with nearby UAVs.

Can the system be countered?

Flash stresses that, despite the system’s complexity, it can be defeated by electronic warfare. However, the effectiveness of countermeasures depends on how widely and well Russia implements mesh technology: if Moscow deploys it not just on Shaheds but on other long-range platforms, it will gain a robust, fast, and wide two-way data channel.

Any mitigation depends on the volume, quality, and scale of Russia's deployment.

"It’s crucial not to miss the moment when Russia multiplies use of this tech across many platforms, not only Shaheds. Because that would create a resilient, fast, broad two-way data channel,” the Defense Express experts say.

On 3 November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that missile production is progressing well, with mass production of several systems expected to be completed by the end of the year. He also mentioned the deployment of new missile models and the expansion of production capacities, particularly for interceptor drones and maritime unmanned vehicles, UNIAN reports. 

Tools of response and strategic pressure

“We are deploying new missiles, including the ‘Flamingo,’” Zelenskyy said.

He did not specify quantities but has noted that the country expects mass production by year-end. He also emphasized the “Neptune” series, already in production and delivering strong results.

“We have standard and extended versions, both performing very well," he explained. 

According to Zelenskyy, these systems are effective against energy infrastructure strikes, targeting resources that fund the aggressor.

Scaling production: 600–800 interceptor drones Per Day

Ukraine is also accelerating production of interceptor UAVs, aiming to reach 600–800 units per day by the end of November, “if all goes according to plan.”

Zelenskyy acknowledged potential setbacks, such as attacks on factories or damage to workshops, but stressed that “so far we have not lost any type of long-range weapon.”

The industry is working alongside the military, with repair teams and logistics restoring production capacity even after strikes.

Berlin and Copenhagen as first hubs of weapon exports

Zelenskyy announced the creation of two European export hubs: “These are for weapons we can afford to sell. The first two will be Berlin and Copenhagen, decided at the company level, and operational this year.”

Revenue from exports will support domestic production of scarce systems. Ukraine also has a surplus of maritime drones and certain artillery systems available for export, provided that proper safety and regulatory oversight are in place.

The Ukrainian president proposed a fair financial mechanism: partners could fully fund the production of scarce weapons in Ukraine, with the resulting systems to be split equally, a method to rapidly mobilize both partner and Ukrainian industrial capacity.