--- title: "Russia postpones Dronnitsa drone forum over Ukrainian attack fears" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/russia-postpones-dronnitsa-drone-forum-over-ukrainian-attack-fears" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/russia-postpones-dronnitsa-drone-forum-over-ukrainian-attack-fears" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/russia-postpones-dronnitsa-drone-forum-over-ukrainian-attack-fears.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/russia-postpones-dronnitsa-drone-forum-over-ukrainian-attack-fears" category: "Conflict & Security" area: "Russia" published: "2026-08-13T01:45:37.820Z" source_reported: "2026-08-12T21:55:00.000Z" updated: "2026-08-13T01:45:37.820Z" trust_score: 74 critic_score: 58 hype_score: 32 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-13T01:30:37.849593+00:00" --- # Russia postpones Dronnitsa drone forum over Ukrainian attack fears *Organisers said security services advised diverting air defences from other locations would be necessary to protect the event* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 74 of 100, higher is better. Corroborated by 10 digests and one full report. - Craft 58 of 100, higher is better. Lacks direct quotes from multiple sources. - Hype 32 of 100, lower is better. Some outlets used sensational language. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - The Dronnitsa forum, an annual gathering of Russian military drone operators, was postponed indefinitely on 12 August 2026 after organisers received intelligence about a planned Ukrainian attack. - The event was to be held in Veliky Novgorod, 120 km from President Vladimir Putin’s Valdai residence, raising security concerns that required diverting air defences from other locations. - Organisers cited consultations with regional leadership and Russian security services as the basis for the decision, though Ukrainian authorities did not comment on the claims. - None of the right-rated digests below mention the postponement of the Dronnitsa forum. Organisers of the Dronnitsa forum, an annual gathering of Russian military drone operators, postponed the 2026 event on 12 August. The decision followed intelligence suggesting Ukraine planned a combined attack involving ballistic missiles and what organisers described as "terrorist bio-drones" during the event. The forum was scheduled for 29-30 August in Veliky Novgorod, a city 120 km northwest of Moscow. The event is organised by the Coordination Center for Assistance to Novorossiya, a group supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine. It brings together drone operators, technical specialists, and volunteers involved in the conflict. According to its website, Dronnitsa aims to promote military unmanned aviation and build a professional community of drone instructors and electronic warfare specialists. Organisers said the postponement followed consultations with the Novgorod region’s leadership and Russian security services. They stated that protecting the forum would require diverting air defences and security personnel from other locations. Alexei Chadayev, the event’s principal founder, confirmed the decision but did not elaborate on the nature of the alleged Ukrainian threat. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated digests mention the postponement of the Dronnitsa forum or the alleged Ukrainian threat that prompted it. The left-rated digests did not include details about the organisers’ consultations with regional leadership and security services, which The Moscow Times reported. The Moscow Times was also the only outlet to provide context on the event’s purpose, its organisers, and its connection to the broader Russian military drone programme. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 67% (4) - Centre: 16% (1) - Right: 17% (1) 5 of 11 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-13T01:30:37.849593+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 1 time; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-13T02:01:00.417Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The four left-rated digests led on the threat of a Ukrainian attack as the reason for postponing the Dronnitsa forum. RBC-Ukraine described the Russians as "scared to death of Ukrainian UAVs," while United24 reported that organisers claimed to have obtained "accurate and reliable information" about enemy plans to strike during the event. Meduza and Censor.net both noted the proximity of the event to President Vladimir Putin’s Valdai residence, with Meduza specifying the distance as 100 km. ### Centre - The Moscow Times, the only centre-rated report printed in full, led on the organisers’ statement that protecting the forum would require diverting air defences from other locations. It quoted the organisers’ Telegram statement directly: "Exposing factories and bases in the Novgorod and neighboring regions for the sake of our own security would be wrong at this time." The report also included details about the event’s history, its organisers, and the role of Alexei Chadayev, the forum’s founder. ### Right - The right-rated digest from USSANews did not mention the postponement of the Dronnitsa forum. Instead, it reported on the Russian Defence Ministry showcasing a female drone pilot in a video, highlighting the recruitment of women for combat roles in Russia’s UAV force. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - low: 1 - high: 5 - unknown: 5 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Unknown](https://obozrevatel.com/novosti-rossii/ispugalis-ukrainskih-dronov-v-rossii-neozhidanno-otmenili-vyilet-operatorov-bespilotnikov.htm) — Ukrainian Drones Were Scared: in Russia, the Drone Operators' Convention Was Suddenly Cancelled. - [Unknown](https://glavcom.ua/world/observe/bojatsja-ukrajinskikh-udariv-rosijani-skasuvali-shchorichnij-zlit-operatoriv-droniv-1136365.html) — They Are Afraid of Ukrainian Attacks. The Russians Canceled the Annual Takeoff of Drone Operators - [rbc.ua](https://rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiyi-zlyakalisya-ukrayinskih-droniv-i-skasuvali-1786560122.html) — Russia Was Afraid of Ukrainian Drones and Canceled the Meeting of Drone Operators - [United24](https://united24media.com/world/russia-postpones-major-military-drone-operators-gathering-over-fears-of-ukrainian-strike-21625) — Russia Postpones Major Military Drone Operators Gathering Over Fears of Ukrainian Strike - [censor.net](https://censor.net/ua/news/4018092/vserosiyiskyyi-zlit-operatoriv-bpla-skasuvaly-cherez-drony-ukrayiny) — In the Russian Federation, the Operator of the B.L.A. Was Snatched Off by an Attack of Stolen Drones, - [Meduza](https://meduza.io/news/2026/08/12/v-rossii-otmenili-slet-operatorov-boevyh-bespilotnikov-dronnitsa-iz-za-ugrozy-udara-ukrainy-ego-hoteli-provesti-v-100-kilometrah-ot-rezidentsii-putina) — In Russia, Drone Operators Were Cancelled Due to the Threat of an Attack by Ukraine and Wanted to Be Held 100 Kilometres From Putin's Residence. - [Unknown](https://nv.ua/ukr/world/geopolitics/u-rf-skasuvali-zlit-operatoriv-droniv-cherez-poboyuvannya-shchodo-udariv-zsu-50632085.html) — Because of the Fear of Attacks by the Armed Forces. Russia Canceled the Takeoff of UAV Operators 100 Km From Putin's Residence - [RTVI](https://rtvi.com/news/v-rossii-otmenili-slet-operatorov-bpla-iz-za-ugrozy-udara-vsu) — In Russia, Drone Operators Were Cancelled Due to the Threat of Attack by the U.S.A. - [ussanews.com](https://ussanews.com/2026/08/12/russian-mod-showcases-female-drone-pilot-video) — Russian MOD showcases female drone pilot - [The Moscow Times](https://themoscowtimes.com/2026/08/12/russian-combat-drone-forum-postponed-over-fears-of-ukrainian-attack-a93476) — Russian Combat Drone Forum Postponed Over Fears of Ukrainian Attack - [currenttime.tv](https://currenttime.tv/a/v-velikom-novgorode-perenesli-slet-operatorov-bespilotnikov-dronnitsa-iz-za-ugrozy-ataki-ukrainskih-bpla/33827653.html) — In the Great Novgorod, Drone Operators Were Carried over by the Dronnica because of the Threat of an Attack by Ukrainian Drones. ## Questions **Why was the Dronnitsa forum postponed?** Organisers postponed the Dronnitsa forum after receiving intelligence suggesting Ukraine planned a combined missile and drone attack during the event. They cited consultations with regional leadership and security services, which advised that protecting the forum would require diverting air defences from other locations. **How far is Veliky Novgorod from Putin’s residence?** The Dronnitsa forum was scheduled to take place in Veliky Novgorod, approximately 120 km from President Vladimir Putin’s Valdai residence. The proximity raised security concerns that contributed to the decision to postpone the event. **Which outlets reported on the postponement?** The postponement was reported by left-rated outlets such as RBC-Ukraine, United24, Meduza, and Censor.net, as well as the centre-rated Moscow Times. None of the right-rated digests mentioned the postponement, focusing instead on unrelated military recruitment news. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/conflict/russia-postpones-dronnitsa-drone-forum-over-ukrainian-attack-fears. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Russia postpones Dronnitsa drone forum over Ukrainian attack fears", https://mediabias.news/conflict/russia-postpones-dronnitsa-drone-forum-over-ukrainian-attack-fears