The Russian Navy has established its first regiment dedicated to unmanned surface and underwater systems within the Northern Fleet, a move Navy chief Alexander Moiseyev announced on July 1, 2026. The new unit comprises two divisions of unmanned surface vessels and one division of unmanned underwater systems, with a second regiment planned for the Pacific Fleet by 2027.
The announcement came as President Vladimir Putin, in a video address on July 26 after the cancellation of the St. Petersburg naval parade for the second consecutive year, called for expanded maritime combat capabilities. Russia is simultaneously developing a 500-tonne unmanned surface vessel for anti-submarine missions and planning a new 9,500-tonne blue-water warship.
The modernized missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov is expected to return to service before the end of 2026, while Borei-class strategic nuclear submarines are projected to remain operational for another three to four decades.