Digitalization of the Russian army

Main article: Russian Armed Forces

Virtual reality in the Russian armed forces

Main article: Virtual reality in the armed forces of Russia

Cyber ​ ​ military of the Russian Federation

Main article: Cyber ​ ​ military of the Russian Federation

Artificial intelligence in the military-industrial complex

Main article: Artificial intelligence in military affairs

Chronicle

2024

In Russia, a GIS of electronic confirmation of the status of the WCS participant is launched

In Russia, from November 1, 2024, the State Information System (GIS) for electronic confirmation of the status of participants in a special military operation (SVO) will begin to function. The platform will work on the basis of the Military Social Center of the Ministry of Defense and will allow military personnel, as well as their families, to promptly receive certificates of a single sample in electronic or paper format. This was reported on October 10, 2024 in the Ministry of Defense of Russia. Read more here

Initiation of a criminal case on embezzlement of 1 billion rubles from the Ministry of Defense

On September 16, 2024, it became known that the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Krasnoyarsk Territory opened a criminal case on embezzlement of almost 1 billion rubles from the Ministry of Defense during the construction of a communications control center. As part of the investigation, the head of ERSM Siberia LLC Roman Bezrukov was detained. Read more here

The Russian military began to use a domestic messenger in the SVO zone. It works without the Internet

On September 2, 2024, it became known that the Russian military in the zone of a special military operation began to use a new domestic messenger developed by the Loktar team. This system, which has passed successful tests in combat conditions, is completely decentralized and operates without an Internet connection. The messenger provides the exchange of geodata and the transfer of information about the tactical situation, which makes it an indispensable tool on the front line. Read more here

A single digital platform is being created in Russia with data on volunteers at the SVO

On July 15, 2024, an order of the Pension and Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation came into force to clarify the procedure for volunteers to submit applications for their pension insurance. We are talking about the implementation of the law allowing the Russian Guard to create volunteer associations. In accordance with the innovations, data on volunteers will be collected on one digital platform. Read more here

The Russian army began to use the Thorn radio intelligence complex to intercept conversations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

On July 9, 2024, it became known about the use by the Russian army of the new Thorn radio intelligence complex to intercept conversations of the Ukrainian armed forces in the zone of a special military operation. This technological solution allows you to increase the effectiveness of reconnaissance activities and the efficiency of response to enemy actions. Read more here

The first accelerator for military electronics developers in Russia has been launched

At the end of June 2024, it became known about the launch in Tatarstan of the first accelerator of startups in Russia focused on the development of electronics for military use. This information was announced at a press conference by the Minister of Digital Development of the Republic, Airat Khairullin.

The new acceleration program is supported by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and is aimed at developing advanced technologies in the field of unmanned vehicles, artificial intelligence, communication systems, microelectronics, as well as virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR). More than 20 startups have already applied for the program.

source = Ministry of Defense of Russia

Ayrat Khairullin noted that currently the key technological focus is the military industry. He stressed the importance of introducing technologies such as artificial intelligence, communication systems and drones into the defense industry.

We see how these technologies are used in the theater of operations, and it is important that domestic startups can develop and implement the latest solutions in this area, the minister said.

The accelerator program provides comprehensive support for participants, including work and training with experts, access to laboratories for rapid solution design, and the ability to test and evaluate developments on existing defense lines. This will allow startups to quickly introduce innovations and adapt them to the needs of the military industry.

Tatarstan is the leader of digital transformation in Russia, which is confirmed by the success of the republic in the implementation of the national project "Digital Economy." IT companies are actively developing in the region, their total number exceeds 3.3 thousand, and the number of people employed in the IT industry is more than 40 thousand people.

Airat Khairullin stressed that the creation of the first accelerator in Russia for developers of military electronics is an important step in strengthening the country's technological potential. The program is aimed at growing technology entrepreneurs and startups that can make a significant contribution to the development of the defense industry.^[1]

Participants of the SVO will be able to issue benefits through Public services

On June 21, 2024 Russia , the model of "undocumented" confirmation of benefits by all participants in the special operation was adopted. The corresponding procedure will be carried out completely in digital format, including through the portal. Public services

The new rules were discussed by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Belousov and the Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Maksut Shadayev. The head of the military department pointed out the difficulties that military personnel and members of their families may face when drawing up documents necessary to obtain benefits and social support measures. According to Belousov, the process should be simplified and automated.

source = Ministry of Defense of Russia

Andrei Belousov and Maksut Shadayev passed in detail according to the current algorithm for issuing certificates and approved the target model and the stage of obtaining documents in digital format, including online, the Ministry of Defense notes.

We are talking about the rejection of paper documents. It is assumed that the new scheme for obtaining benefits will work in the third quarter of 2024 - it will be available through Public services or in the multifunctional center for the provision of state and municipal services (MPSC). Thus, the registration of benefits will be significantly simplified and accelerated. Participants in a special operation can also obtain a certificate of a combat veteran without a statement

To date, a roadmap for the transition of document management to digital form has been developed and approved by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, the military department said in a statement.

To control the implementation of the digitalization project in accordance with the order of the Minister of Defense, a permanent interdepartmental working group has been formed, including representatives of the Ministry of Digital Development and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.^[2]

How military digital technologies are developing in Russia

As of the beginning of 2024, investment funds in Russia record the growth of the venture capital segment of military technologies. This area includes specialized developments in the field of artificial intelligence, unmanned systems and secure communications. This is stated in the study, the results of which were published on April 4, 2024.

According to the Kommersant newspaper, citing data from state and private investment funds in the MilitaryTech venture area, annual growth in this area is expected to be 20-30%. The Department for the Development of Non-Banking Services of Promsvyazbank (PSB) notes that the number of applications for participation in the "dual-use acceleration program" increased more than fourfold in 2023 compared to the previous year.

source = Ministry of Defense of Russia

We see significant growth in such areas as communication systems for reliable communication, AI technologies and cybersecurity tools, unmanned technologies and means of combating them, which are needed to protect civilian infrastructure, "says PSB Vice President Aleksei Nazarov.

The growth in demand for unmanned technologies, primarily aircraft (UAVs), is partly due to the current geopolitical situation. The National Technology Initiative (NTI) notes that the observed trend concerns both the production of new drones and related solutions in the field of AI and software. Vitaly Smetanin, director of analytics at the NTI Sovereign Technology Fund, emphasizes that the demand for such projects "is unlikely to decrease in the long term," and therefore venture capital funds are showing increased interest in them.

Ruslan Sarkisov, managing partner of the Voskhod fund, says that startups in the earliest stages can receive investments to create a minimum viable product for 10-15 million rubles, while more mature companies attract amounts over 500 million rubles to scale the technology. At the same time, according to Sarkisov, military start-ups focus not on "conditional ammunition," but on robotics, AI tools, machine vision, modeling, forecasting, software solutions for automation and biomedicine. Among the technological incentives is a sharp increase in demand for "non-classical high-tech weapons and for operational product modification."

In modern geopolitical conditions, investments in military entities have an understandable argument: the state budget for 2024 provides for more than 10 trillion rubles for national defense and national security, which indicates the priority of these areas for the public sector, Sarkisov notes.

At the same time, Pavel Novitsky, General Director of JSC UK INTC Aerospace Innovative Valley, believes that technologies applicable in the civil segment may be of interest to investors. These can be, in particular, machine vision algorithms, AI or decision automation. On the other hand, many investment funds are wary of such projects. This is primarily due to non-obvious scenarios for use in the civilian sector, which is why the ROI indicators are vague.

Alexei Simakov, head of the Loktar UAV detection and counteraction department, adds that the Russian military-technical market "is extremely lacking in early-stage systemic venture capital investments." According to him, the main state funds look at companies with noticeable stable revenue, but most successful products are born in spite of the current financing system.^[3]

2021: The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation creates a department for work with artificial intelligence

On May 31, 2021, it became known about the timing of the creation by the Russian Ministry of Defense of the Department for Work with Artificial Intelligence. This structure will have its own budget, said Mikhail Osyko, a member of the board of the Military-Industrial Commission (MIC) under the government. Read more here.

Notes