Russia’s National Guard deploys kamikaze drones in Arctic drills
Special forces from Russia’s National Guard (Rosgvardia) recently conducted military exercises on the Kola Peninsula, using FPV kamikaze drones to neutralise “armed saboteurs.”
The drills, held in the Khibiny Mountains, involved Rosgvardia’s elite units working alongside the Ministry of Emergency Situations (Emercom). The exercise was commanded by Daniil Martynov, a prominent Chechen militant and Emercom adviser, with Dmitry Salikhov, head of Rosgvardia in Murmansk, and regional Governor Andrei Chibis also in attendance.
According to Rosgvardia, the training scenario focused on overpowering and eliminating a group of armed saboteurs. Footage from the drills shows at least ten heavily armed soldiers demonstrating their skills on skis, snowmobiles, and snow bikes. The “saboteurs” were neutralised using firearms and drones, with one video depicting a kamikaze FPV drone hunting down and striking the simulated enemy.
Many Rosgvardia soldiers likely bring combat experience from Ukraine, where thousands of personnel from the agency have participated in Russia’s war of aggression. As an independent security force reporting directly to President Vladimir Putin, Rosgvardia operates separately from the Russian Armed Forces.
Martynov emphasised the importance of such exercises, stating: “Comprehensive training in the Arctic’s extreme conditions enhances inter-agency coordination. We simulate real-life scenarios to ensure we can respond effectively in critical situations.”
A former special military adviser to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, Martynov is believed to have played a pivotal role in establishing the Spetsnaz University, which trains Chechen forces and other armed groups. He also contributed to the creation of the military youth organisation VOIN and reportedly oversees its organisational development.
Martynov’s influence extends to the FSB, and his career has spanned both Rosgvardia and Emercom, where he now serves as a security adviser to Minister Aleksandr Kurenkov.
This is not Martynov’s first Arctic deployment. In April 2016, he led a Chechen combat group in military training near the North Pole, stopping en route on Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. His forces have also participated in Rosgvardia exercises in Murmansk, the remote Franz Josef Land archipelago, and the Yenisey River port town of Dudinka.
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