A Russian military analysis channel assessed newly released footage of People's Liberation Army drone operator training, describing the capabilities as 'barely passing' by the standards of the Ukraine war. The assessment noted that the PLA's drone warfare appears to be at a learning and implementation stage equivalent to 2023 levels, lacking advanced counter-drone and relay systems seen in active combat zones.
A Russian military analysis channel, Scythian Notes, assessed newly released footage from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) showing drone operator training and infantry counter-drills against FPV quadcopters. The analyst described the PLA's small-drone capabilities as 'barely passing' when measured against the operational standards of the Ukraine war, placing the Chinese force at a learning-and-implementation stage comparable to 2023.
The video, posted by the Russian-language channel 'China Army,' includes segments of PLA personnel practicing with 'electronic rifles' against Mavic-class drones. The commentator noted the absence of dome jammers, remote antenna deployments, personnel shelters, and signal boosters on the controllers — equipment that has become standard in Ukrainian and Russian drone units. 'Drone warfare is not just a controller, goggles, and a drone,' the analyst wrote. 'There is much more beyond that.'
The assessment comes amid a broader pattern of China-Russia military cooperation, which The Zioneer has previously covered. The PLA's current drone training appears to lag behind the rapid tactical evolution seen in Ukraine, where small drones have become a central battlefield tool for both sides. The exact timeline and location of the footage remain undisclosed, and the assessment is a single-source opinion.
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