
AI-generated summary
The statement was made in the context of the ongoing special military operation that Russia has been conducting on Ukrainian territory since 2022. The rate of advance is a key indicator of the effectiveness of military operations.
Just in September 2026, Russian troops took control of 1,301 square kilometers of territory in the special operation zone (SVO). Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about the pace of progress of the RF Armed Forces during the plenary session of the meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club, broadcast on Rutube.
According to the head of state, the pace of advance of the Russian Army in the conflict zone is increasing. “The situation on the line of combat contact in the Northern Military District zone is developing actively,” he added.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Russian troops will continue to increase the pace of advance in the Northern Military District zone in the coming months
Likely · Within months

President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Gennady Krasnikov in an interview with RIA Novosti said that Russian laser weapons have shown high efficiency, work is underway to increase the power and range of the beam, as well as to reduce the target tracking time; weapons using special methods with high-energy fragments to destroy drones are also mentioned.

The Pentagon will deploy a third aircraft carrier strike group and additional Marine Corps ships to the Middle East by end of November, adding 9,000 to 10,000 troops. The Theodore Roosevelt departed San Diego on September 27, joining the George H.W. Bush and George Washington carriers already in the region. President Trump is considering resuming strikes against Iran after the midterm elections.

The German Bundeswehr will create its first-ever dedicated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unit of 600 troops, which will include kamikaze attack drones, ground systems and an electronic warfare company, providing coverage over a radius of up to 500 kilometers. The unit will be part of the 10th Armored Division, associated with the armored brigade in Lithuania.

The Russian government has identified authorized Sberbank employees who can make decisions about repelling attacks from unmanned aerial vehicles that threaten the bank’s protected facilities and the people on them. The decision is made by the head of the unit or the employee provided with military hand-held small arms. The measure implements a June law signed by President Putin allowing the suppression or destruction of UAVs.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that in the event of an attack on Russia, the country will use all its available weapons and competitive advantages, emphasizing that Russia has unique weapons that other countries do not have. The speech took place at the plenary session of the XXIII annual meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, Colonel-General Andrei Mordvichev, said that the Verba man-portable anti-aircraft missile system has shown good effectiveness in combat conditions of the Northern Military District, especially when hitting suddenly appearing air targets at low altitudes, and is one and a half to two times more effective than the Igla-S MANPADS.