Russia says Center-2026 drills used Zarya laser, Armata tanks and Su-57 jets
Version 2: Fresh coverage adds T-80BVM tank crews, which the Defence Ministry says struck a retreating conditional enemy from closed positions with video and coordinates passed by reconnaissance drones at the Yurginsky range in Kemerovo Oblast.
In short
Russia’s Defence Ministry said the main phase of the Center-2026 strategic command-staff exercises used the Zarya laser complex, unmanned tanks, T-14 Armata and T-90M Proryv tanks, Su-57 fighters and robotic systems. President Vladimir Putin visited the Chebarkulsky range in Chelyabinsk Oblast on 1 October and said more than 47,000 servicemen were taking part. On 4 October, TASS reported that T-90M and T-80BVM crews struck a conditional enemy from closed positions, and Interfax said T-80BVM crews worked with reconnaissance drones at the Yurginsky range in Kemerovo Oblast.
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Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces used the Zarya laser complex, unmanned tanks, T-14 Armata and T-90M Proryv tanks, Su-57 fighters and a range of robotic systems during the main phase of the Center-2026 strategic command-staff exercises, Vedomosti reported. According to the ministry, the Zarya complex destroyed medium and heavy drones of the conditional enemy at ranges of up to 6 km. The ministry listed the Kalitka-KA robotic complex, the Zitadel, ZAK-57-MSK and S-60M anti-aircraft artillery systems and Anklav machine-gun mounts as short-range defences against drones, and said Chelnok ground robotic complexes were used to guide bridge crossings. [ 1 ]
The ministry said T-14 Armata and T-90M Proryv tanks used what it described as a “tank carousel” tactic to hit conditional enemy positions, covered by the Spiridon tank support vehicle and the Derivatsiya-PVO system. Unmanned tanks provided fire support for assault units, Su-57 fighters covered Su-34 aircraft, and Caspian Flotilla ships repelled a simulated attack by unmanned boats, it said. [ 1 ]
President Vladimir Putin visited the Chebarkulsky range in Chelyabinsk Oblast on 1 October and watched a phase of the exercises, Vedomosti reported. He said the drills were being held in line with the Russian armed forces’ training plan and involved more than 47,000 servicemen. [ 1 ]
On 4 October, TASS reported that a T-90M platoon destroyed the “enemy” from closed positions and was graded “excellent”, with all time norms met, according to tank platoon commander Viktor Arslanov. TASS is a state news agency and Vedomosti an independent business daily. [ 2 ]
TASS also reported that T-80BVM crews hit a conditional enemy that was retreating from a previously held line, firing high-explosive fragmentation munitions from closed positions. [ 3 ]
Interfax reported the same episode in more detail, quoting the Defence Ministry as saying the T-80BVM crews worked with reconnaissance drone crews and that the tanks struck manpower and combat assets of the conditional enemy. According to the ministry, the drone crews passed a live video stream and coordinates, allowing the tank crews to prepare firing data quickly and adjust fire after the first shots, with air reconnaissance used to assess the results. Interfax said the tasks were carried out during the practical actions phase at the Yurginsky range in Kemerovo Oblast. [ 4 ]
All descriptions of the equipment and of the results come from the Defence Ministry, as reported by Vedomosti, TASS and Interfax, or from a platoon commander quoted by TASS. The documents do not name the conditional enemy, do not give the exercises’ start and end dates, and provide no assessment independent of the military. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The reports are an official account of equipment the military says it is fielding, from the Zarya laser complex to Armata tanks, presented as planned training by the Defence Ministry and the president. For readers outside Russia, the coverage offers detail on systems and units but no independent assessment; the documents name no opposing force, give no dates for the drills and report results only as the ministry or a crew commander described them.
Key facts
- Russia’s Defence Ministry said the Zarya laser complex destroyed medium and heavy drones of the conditional enemy at ranges of up to 6 km during the main phase of Center-2026 [ 1 ]
- The ministry said T-14 Armata and T-90M Proryv tanks used a “tank carousel” tactic, covered by the Spiridon tank support vehicle and the Derivatsiya-PVO system [ 1 ]
- Putin visited the Chebarkulsky range in Chelyabinsk Oblast on 1 October and said more than 47,000 servicemen were taking part in the exercises [ 1 ]
- A T-90M platoon destroyed the “enemy” from closed positions and was graded “excellent”, with all time norms met, tank platoon commander Viktor Arslanov said, according to TASS [ 2 ]
- TASS reported that T-80BVM crews hit a conditional enemy retreating from a previously held line using high-explosive fragmentation munitions from closed positions [ 3 ]
- Interfax reported the T-80BVM action took place at the Yurginsky range in Kemerovo Oblast during the practical actions phase, with crews receiving video and coordinates from reconnaissance drones [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The exercises are called Center-2026 and are described as strategic command-staff drills [ 1 , 4 ]
- The accounts of the weapons used and of the tank crews’ actions come from Russia’s Defence Ministry [ 1 , 4 ]
- T-80BVM tank crews struck a conditional enemy from closed positions during the exercises [ 3 , 4 ]
- T-90M tanks were among the armour used or reported in the exercises [ 1 , 2 ]
- The conditional enemy hit by the T-80BVM crews was described as retreating from a previously held line [ 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Who or what force the “conditional enemy” represented All documents describe the opposing force only as conditional or as the “enemy”, without identifying it
- The start and end dates of the exercises The documents give no duration; the only dated moment is Putin’s visit on 1 October
- Personnel numbers beyond Putin’s figure of more than 47,000 servicemen The figure appears in a single document and is attributed to the president
- Independent verification of the weapons’ performance and of the crews’ results Every performance detail comes from the Defence Ministry as reported by outlets, or from a crew commander quoted by TASS
- Whether the T-90M and T-80BVM episodes are part of the same engagement The documents report them separately and do not link the two
- The full list of training sites Reports cite the Chebarkulsky range in Chelyabinsk Oblast and the Yurginsky range in Kemerovo Oblast, without saying these are the only locations
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Putin visits the Chebarkulsky range in Chelyabinsk Oblast and observes a phase of the Center-2026 exercises; he says more than 47,000 servicemen are taking part [ 1 ]
- On 2 October Vedomosti publishes the Defence Ministry’s account of the weapons and systems used in the main phase of the exercises [ 1 ]
- On 4 October TASS reports that a T-90M platoon destroyed the “enemy” from closed positions and was graded “excellent” [ 2 ]
- On 4 October TASS reports that T-80BVM crews hit a conditional enemy retreating from a previously held line [ 3 ]
- On 4 October Interfax reports the same T-80BVM action at the Yurginsky range in Kemerovo Oblast, with reconnaissance drones passing coordinates and video [ 4 ]