The Russian president spoke in a video message as the Ukrainian air force said it had shot down drones and one missile launched by Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in February that Kyiv would create a new branch of Kyiv's military, known as the Unmanned Systems Forces, dedicated exclusively to drone warfare. "Drones, unmanned systems, have proven their effectiveness in battles on land, in the sky and at sea," the Ukrainian leader said.