Russia opposes immediate ban on autonomous weapons, diplomat says

Russia does not support an immediate ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems, Foreign Ministry non-proliferation and arms control director Oleg Postnikov told Interfax.

Moscow considers existing international law, including international humanitarian law, applicable to such systems and sees no compelling grounds for additional restrictions at present, he said.

Postnikov also set out Russia's assessment of the US position. He said Washington opposed UN consideration of military uses of artificial intelligence and rejected restrictions, while retaining an interest in the group of governmental experts on autonomous weapons.

Before drafting new rules, states should analyse existing law and agree on terminology, including a definition of artificial intelligence, Postnikov said.

The experts' latest session under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons took place in Geneva from August 31 to September 4. Its report setting out basic concepts on autonomous systems is not a legally binding treaty. Postnikov said Russian priorities were reflected in it.

Such systems can select and engage targets without an operator's intervention. A binding agreement and the extent of human control will be issues for further discussion at the convention's review conference, scheduled for November 16 to November 20, 2026.