You should start with past and terminology. Already in the times of the USSR there were many types of pilotless flying apparatus (ru. беспилотных летающих аппаратов in short, in Poland called unmanned aircraft in short BSP). They mainly served exploratory purposes. After the dissolution of the USSR, most of them were withdrawn from service, and many military units operating them were deformed. Over the next decades, the Russians continued to work on fresh types of flying drones. They were besides mostly intended to service as reconnaissance tasks, but were besides working on shock versions.
