The GRU and Belousov personally are behind Russia's elite Rubicon drones, intelligence officials say

The Rubicon center, an elite and one of the most combat-ready UAV units of the occupiers, is run by Russia's military intelligence, and one of the key people in its management is the occupiers' minister of defense Andrey Belousov. About for text LIGA.net said an officer of the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) with the call sign Azimut.

He said that in fact, the structure of this unit is quite typical: "There is nothing special about it, no innovation. It is a typical army unit."

However, the officer added, there is a "great political will and a great role" of the Russian special services in organizing the creation of this structure.

"Specifically, the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (popularly known as the GRU). It is the GRU that is responsible for the formation, development and financing of the unit, among other things," Azimut noted.

Regarding those who head this structure, the military officer said that the key people are Sergei Budnikov (head of the Rubicon Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies), Belousov (Russian Defense Minister, initiator of the unit), and Yevgeny Shmyrin (head of the Department for Advanced Interspecies Research and Special Projects of the Russian Defense Ministry).

The HUR officer also noted that elitism is indeed present in the Rubicon, for example, recruiters of this unit have the right to take representatives from any unit: "They just come and have full access to pilots from other military units."

Azimut confirmed that the priority of recruitment creates a sense of significance and elite status for this invaders' unit.

"This is absolutely true. But we are not just talking about recruiting new recruits, but prioritizing the recruitment of experienced pilots for other components of the Russian Armed Forces. It should really be noted that the military and political leadership of the Russian Federation has placed a big bet on this Rubicon," the military said.

Therefore, he noted, thanks to the political will, this unit has "maximum opportunities for its development and maximum access to funding and technology."

• Read more about who is being recruited to this unit of invaders, read here.
• on November 4, the HUR reported on destruction of the Rubicon headquarters in Avdiivka, Donetsk region.
• An officer of the Rubizh brigade said LIGA.net that the result of Rubicon's work is destroyed life in Dobropillya.