Moscow: Two high-profile criminal cases against leading figures in Russia's drone industry have highlighted claims by pro-war bloggers that corruption is undermining the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The most recent case came with the arrest of two directors of a company called Drone Solutions on August 8, following the arrest of billionaire drone tycoon Valery Kustov in June. According to Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, both cases relate to fraud charges, and in both instances, drones developed by the companies had previously been demonstrated to Russian President Vladimir Putin as examples of homegrown innovation. Drone Solutions presented its product, named Aist (Stork), to Putin in April, claiming the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was designed for delivering medical and other supplies. Now, company directors Irakli Khazalia and Vyacheslav Barbarov could face 10 years in prison on fraud charges. The details of the case remain unclear, but following the arrests, the head of a rival drone compa ny was quick to comment. Dmitry Tretyakov, whose company claims to be behind Russia's first UAV with on-board AI, expressed concerns about the professionalism within the sector. "The unmanned aviation sector in our country is full of people who have no experience in aviation," Tretyakov wrote. He criticized the industry for a lack of professionalism, dishonesty, and posturing by those in charge. The other case involves Valery Kustov, better known for his mayonnaise manufacturing business. He launched a new company, Transport of the Future, in 2023 in Tolyatti, 800 kilometers east of Moscow. The company's website prominently features Putin's visit to the plant in January 2025, portraying it as part of a national program for drone innovation. Kustov's company was allegedly buying Chinese drones and passing them off as its own, leading to charges of embezzling government funds allocated for research and development. Prosecutors allege losses to the state budget amounted to $105 million. Russian pro-war blogge rs have claimed that Kustov earned $83,000 on each drone bought in China and sold to the Defense Ministry. Ivan Filippov, an exiled Russian journalist and critic who analyzes pro-Kremlin Telegram channels, told Current Time that pro-war bloggers are some of the most vocal anti-corruption crusaders in Russia today. They believe corruption is causing Russia to lose the war. This belief has sometimes led to the detention of so-called Z bloggers after reporting on corruption within the armed forces or criticizing the conduct of the war. Filippov noted that whenever there is a story about corruption, especially in the army and related to state procurement, it incites anger among pro-war commentators. As drone technology transformed the war, Russia initially lagged behind Ukraine in UAV capabilities, leading to the acquisition of thousands of units and technology from Iran and the development of homegrown production. Russian drones now regularly attack Ukrainian cities, and the Rubicon unit, which develops and buy s new technology, has impacted Ukrainian forces. However, Ukraine still appears to have a technological edge, a fact not lost on pro-war commentators in Russia. Aleksei Chadayev, a commentator, noted on his Telegram channel in reference to the Kustov case that Kustov's company had attempted, and failed, to develop a Russian equivalent of Ukraine's Vampire drones, nicknamed Baba Yaga by Russian soldiers. With a 15-kilogram payload capacity, a range of up to 20 kilometers, and high resistance to electronic warfare, the Vampire drone represents a significant technological achievement, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. Chadayev remarked that had the drone been successful, the Russian Army would have had its own mass-produced Baba Yaga, but it did not meet expectations. Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov also criticized the drone, informing Putin at a meeting in June that it was not a high-quality product.