August 8, 2026 saw a major scandal erupt in the Russian technology sector, which many experts are already calling the "drone crisis." The Kuzminsky District Court of Moscow sanctioned the arrest of the management of "Drone Solutions" — one of the key players in the unmanned systems market, which received funding from the state and major business groups.
The current General Director and founder of the company, Vyacheslav Barbasov, as well as his predecessor in the post of head — Irakli Khazalia — have been sent to a pre-trial detention center (SIZO). They are charged with fraud on an especially large scale. According to the investigation, the defendants embezzled hundreds of millions of rubles allocated for the development of domestic robotics.
Who are Vyacheslav Barbasov and Irakli Khazalia?
Vyacheslav Barbasov is a key figure in the history of "Drone Solutions." He is the founder of the company and owns 40% of its shares. Under his leadership, the company positioned itself as a developer of advanced civilian unmanned aerial vehicles, including the "Wasp" and "Stork" models, intended for ice reconnaissance on the Northern Sea Route.
Irakli Khazalia, the former General Director, also found himself at the center of the investigation. His arrest indicates that the probe covers not only the current management but also past periods of the company's operation. This may indicate systemic problems in financial reporting and resource management.
Scale of embezzlement: from 220 million rubles to billion-ruble grants
The company "Drone Solutions" received significant funding from various sources. The "Voskhod" Foundation, associated with Vladimir Potanin, invested more than 220 million rubles in the project between 2022 and 2024. Investments came in three large rounds: 20 million rubles in 2022, 170 million rubles in 2023, and another 30 million rubles in December 2024.
In addition to private investments, the company received grants and subsidies from state structures, including "Skolkovo," "Rosatom," and the Ministry of Industry and Trade. About 23–24% of the company's shares belong to the NTI Foundation, whose founder's powers were transferred to the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade at the beginning of 2026. This makes the state a direct beneficiary and controller of the company's activities.
Context: a cleanup in the UAV industry
The arrest of the "Drone Solutions" management is not an isolated incident, but part of a massive wave of criminal cases against Russian drone manufacturers. At the end of July 2026, billionaire Valery Kustov and the top management of the "Efko" group were arrested on similar charges of fraud. The criminal case is related to embezzlement during the implementation of the "Future Transport" project, for which a state subsidy of 4.5 billion rubles was allocated.
At the same time as the "Efko" management, Alla Polovchenya — Deputy Head of the Department of Unmanned Systems and Robotics of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation — was sent to a pre-trial detention center. These events indicate that law enforcement agencies are conducting a strict audit of the entire UAV industry for misappropriation of funds.
Contradictory data
Although the main facts of the case are confirmed by court databases and financial reports, there are some inconsistencies in the versions of the parties. The investigation claims that the embezzlement was committed through fraud, however, specific details of the case are not yet disclosed. This leaves room for various interpretations.
Moreover, some sources indicate that part of the funds may have been directed to real projects, but with violations in reporting. This creates a contradiction between official charges and possible internal processes within the company.
Outcomes and prospects
The arrests at "Drone Solutions" and related events in the UAV industry indicate a serious crisis of confidence in state and private investments in the technology sector. Law enforcement agencies are demonstrating a tough stance on the misappropriation of funds, which may lead to a review of financing mechanisms and control over projects.
For the company "Drone Solutions," this could be a fatal blow, especially given its dependence on state grants and private investments. At the same time, these events could become a catalyst for reforms in the industry aimed at increasing transparency and efficiency of resource use.
