On Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin strengthened the defense of Russia’s rear areas and its drone forces by placing two generals in command of both branches. As a result, Putin convened an extraordinary meeting at the Kremlin, where he met with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Defense Minister Andrei Belousov. The Russian president announced the creation of a new rear defense service because Ukrainian drones have struck throughout European Russia, from the Baltic to the Ural Mountains. The new head of Russia’s rear defense will be Col. Gen. Valery Solodchuk, who until now commanded the Center military grouping, which is responsible for the liberation of the Donetsk People’s Republic. Putin announced that Denis Lyamin will command the Russian Armed Forces' unmanned systems forces.