NATO member countries will contribute to the construction of new air bases where F-35 fighters will be stationed, Yle reported on 4 September.
The NATO Investment Committee will decide the size of each country’s contribution. Defence Properties CEO Matias Warsta expressed hope that the funding will reach over 100 million euros ($116 mn)
“I hope that we reach a three-digit figure, over one hundred million euros,” Warsta said, emphasizing this was his personal assessment.
Finland’s Ministry of Defence declined to provide forecasts on the amount other NATO countries might contribute.
According to Yle’s calculations, the potential 100 million euros ($116 mn) would represent one-fifth of the construction program worth approximately half a billion euros. The plan includes building shelters, maintenance facilities, and storage for new F-35 fighters in Rovaniemi, Siilinjärvi, and Tikkakoski.
NATO approved almost the entire Finnish F-35 infrastructure construction program as eligible for funding earlier this spring. The first F-35 fighters are expected to arrive at the Rovaniemi air base in late 2026, where construction work has already begun.
Finland has ordered 64 new F-35s from Lockheed Martin to replace aging F/A-18 Hornets.
NATO provides funding through its investment program when a project is deemed to generate capabilities for the entire defense alliance and exceed national needs. According to Warsta, access to NATO co-financing was not guaranteed when construction began.
“This is an educated expert assessment. But the sum could be larger or smaller,” Warsta said.
Special adviser Arjo Kaarre from the Ministry of Defence noted that determining which aspects of fighter base equipment exceed Finland’s needs is not straightforward.
“It’s a matter of negotiation and partly interpretative,” Kaarre said.
Each NATO country’s payment share is determined in the same proportion as membership fees. Kaarre indicated the first funding decisions will likely be made next year.
Finland has not previously received NATO co-financing for its construction projects.
The first F-35 fighters will arrive at the Lapland Squadron in Rovaniemi in late 2026. Construction work continues at the site.
Cost estimates for the Rovaniemi base have increased from 150 million to 200 million euros (from $174 mn to $232 mn), though Warsta said they remain within agreed frameworks.
“In addition to rising construction costs, the equipment manufacturer (Lockheed Martin) has also set additional requirements for the work,” Warsta explained.
Both Lockheed Martin and the US administration have imposed strict security requirements and regularly inspect compliance.
Construction at Rovaniemi includes underground spaces for fighters and information systems, a 3,000 square meter storage facility for spare parts, maintenance facilities, and training facilities with simulators.
The airfield will see increased use as training activities with NATO allies intensify. In real situations, allied fighters could also rely on Finnish bases.
Warsaw acknowledged that two drones entered Polish airspace overnight on 2–3 September but were not intercepted or shot down, Reuters reported on 4 September. Polish military officials say the aerial objects posed no threat and exited the country without causing damage, even as Russia launched a major drone and missile assault across Ukraine the same night.
Russia conducts daily drone and missile strikes targeting Ukrainian civilians. Occasionally, its explosive drones leave Ukrainian airspace and cross into neighboring countries. Only Belarus—Moscow’s ally—has so far attempted to shoot them down. In every other documented case, including those involving Moldova, Romania, Poland, and Lithuania, no drones have been intercepted.
This occurred during Moscow’s daily air attack on Ukraine, as Russia launched more than 500 drones and dozens of missiles on Ukraine overnight. According to the reports, 14 locations across the country were hit, including critical energy and transport infrastructure. Four Ukrainian railway workers were injured in the attacks.
According to Reuters, General Maciej Klisz, Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces, confirmed at a news conference that “we had two airspace violations.” He claimed that “these two violations were under the full control of national forces and units assigned to the state defense system.”
General Wiesław Kukula, Chief of the General Staff, stated that the drones “left Polish airspace without causing any damage,” which means that Poland once again allowed the Russian drones to use its airspace than safely return to Ukraine to attack residential areas.
The Polish army did not disclose the drones’ point of entry or flight path, and no effort was made to shoot them down.
The incursion occurred overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday — 2 and 3 September — triggering a National Security Council meeting in Warsaw.
The lack of any military response highlights Poland’s continued restraint, even after repeated airspace violations. Poland, a NATO member state and a vocal supporter of Ukraine in its defense against Russia, has yet to shoot down any drones entering its territory since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.
The army has remained on high alert since a stray Ukrainian missile struck a village in southern Poland in 2022, killing two people. Yet, despite increased vigilance, no interception measures were taken during this latest event.
In August, a drone crashed into a cornfield in eastern Poland. A prosecutor later said the drone likely entered Polish territory from the direction of Belarus, a close Russian ally. Ukrainian sources noted that the drone remained 2.5 hours in the Polish airspace and was never intercepted.
Warnings about drones heading toward Poland were posted on 3 September by several Ukraine-linked Telegram channels tied to air defense monitoring.
At 3:36 a.m., Ukrainian Telegram channel Nikolaevsky Vanyok, affiliated with air defense forces, wrote:
“1 [Shahed drone is] south of Sambir, course to Poland.”
Almost simultaneously, at 3:35 a.m., the airspace monitoring Telegram channel Zakhid Holovne reported:
“
One more Shahed toward Kolomyia and one drone through Sambir to Poland.”
Four minutes later, at 3:39 a.m., the same channel posted in Polish:
“
03:39 Air alert in the Republic of Poland.”
The employment gap between men and women in the Czech Republic has narrowed to a record low, with experts attributing the shift primarily to Ukrainian refugee women entering the workforce, Novinky reported on 4 September.
Czech Statistical Office data shows that as of June 2025, employment among men stood at 80.2%, while women’s employment reached 71.2% – a difference of nine percentage points.
This marks a dramatic change from July 2023, when women’s employment was 68.2% compared to men’s 81.5%, representing a gap of over 13 percentage points.
“We are seeing things that have never happened historically,” Dalibor Holý, director of the labor market statistics and equal opportunities department at the Czech Statistical Office, told Novinky.
The statistics reveal the scale of Ukrainian women’s integration into the Czech labor market. In June 2025, nearly 166,000 refugees were legally employed in the country, with 101,000 of them women. According to Jakub Augusta, spokesman for the Czech Ministry of Labor, “this is the highest number since the beginning of the war.”
Holý explained that Ukrainian refugee women “have a very high employment rate, which contributes to the growth of women’s employment.”
Beyond refugee integration, experts point to broader economic factors driving the employment shift. The rising cost of living has pushed more women into the workforce, while traditional male-dominated industries have shed jobs. Manufacturing, historically employing more men, has contracted, while the service sector – where women are more represented – has remained stable.
The employment pattern also reflects changes in work arrangements. Experts suggest that support for part-time employment, which women use more frequently than men, has contributed to the narrowing gap.
The Czech Republic has taken other steps toward gender equality in recent months. The country recently allowed women to use the masculine form of their surnames in official documents.
However, Czech intelligence services have warned of potential challenges ahead. They cautioned about a scenario where thousands of Ukrainian war veterans might travel to the Czech Republic to reunite with their families after the war ends, though the implications for the labor market remain unclear.
The employment figures represent a significant shift in Czech demographics and labor patterns, with Ukrainian refugee women emerging as a key factor in reshaping the country’s workforce composition.
As of 2025, there are over 581,000 Ukrainians legally residing in the Czech Republic. They constitute around 53% of the total foreign population in the country. The number of foreigners living long-term in the Czech Republic has reached over 1.09 million by mid-2025. Ukrainians form the largest group among them.
Leaders from more than 30 countries gathered on Thursday in a hybrid session of the Coalition of the Willing to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.
Twenty-six countries pledged support for a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire in Ukraine. They also committed to bolstering Ukraine’s long-term security, strengthening its military, and coordinating international efforts to deter further Russian aggression.
“We have today 26 countries who have formally committed […] to deploy as a ‘reassurance force’ troops in Ukraine, or be present on the ground, in the sea, or in the air,” French president Emmanuel Macron told reporters after the summit.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said following the meeting that “a strong Ukrainian army is and will remain the central element of security guarantees.”
Representatives from Europe, Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand took part in the session.
The talks covered support across land, sea, air, and cyberspace, as well as the mechanisms needed to coordinate these contributions effectively.
Zelenskyy highlighted the role of financial assistance, weapons supplies, and domestic production as essential components of Ukraine’s defense.
He confirmed that new sanctions are being planned, including secondary measures and special trade tariffs, to further pressure Russia and its economy.
Zelenskyy said that the Coalition shares the view that Russia is “doing everything possible to drag out the negotiation process and continue the war.”
The Coalition of the Willing, formed in 2023, brings together countries committed to providing Ukraine with security and defense support beyond standard NATO and EU frameworks.
The group coordinates financial aid, military equipment, training, and strategic planning to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience and capacity to respond to Russian aggression.
© Sputnik
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Thursday that members of the “Coalition of the Willing” have pledged to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles, as part of efforts to strengthen Kyiv’s defense capabilities.
The delivery of long-range missiles will enable strikes on military targets deeper inside Russian and Russian-held territory supporting both defensive and counteroffensive operations.
Ukraine has long requested additional long-range weaponry, but Western partners have been cautious due to concerns about escalating the conflict. Such weapons allow Ukraine to effectively disrupt supply lines that sustain Moscow’s war effort far from the front lines.
Speaking to a virtual session of the Coalition of the Willing from Glasgow, the Prime Minister said that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not be trusted, citing ongoing attacks on Ukraine and delays in peace talks.
The Prime Minister also thanked military planners and chiefs of defense of Coalition countries for their work to ensure forces could be deployed if a ceasefire is reached.
He described the coalition’s support for Ukraine as “unbreakable” and that they had US President Trump’s backing.
He added that they now need “to go even further to apply pressure on Putin to secure a cessation of hostilities.”
© Associated Press/Evgeniy Maloletka
© © 2025 Mikala Compton / Austin American-Statesman
Russian forces on Thursday targeted a humanitarian mission from the Danish Refugee Council. The team was clearing mines near Novoselivka in Ukraine’s Chernihiv Oblast.
The strike killed 2 humanitarian workers and injured 5.
“This is yet another cynical crime. Attacking people carrying out humanitarian work means deliberately putting humanitarian efforts at risk,” said Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights.
The missile strike hit the team as they worked near a checkpoint outside the village, as reported by Dmytro Bryzhynskyi, the head of the Chernihiv City Military Administration.
The victims were employees of a Danish demining team carrying out humanitarian work to make the area safe for civilians.
Chernihiv Oblast lies on Ukraine’s northern border with Russia and Belarus, making it a frequent target for cross-border shelling and strikes.
Russian forces have repeatedly attacked humanitarian missions across Ukraine. These strikes target the people trying to restore normal life in liberated regions, where explosive remnants of past Russian occupation remain a major danger to residents.
© Getty Images
Ukraine’s allies met in Paris to discuss security guarantees, but doubts grew as US commitments remained unclear. Reuters reports the summit brought together 30 leaders seeking to reassure Kyiv while peace talks with Russia look increasingly remote.
On 4 September 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined about 30 Western leaders in Paris for talks on security guarantees. The “coalition of the willing” includes European states, Canada, Japan, and Australia. Some leaders attended in person, while others joined by video-link.
The summit aimed to define military support for Ukraine in the event of a truce with Russia. But months of discussion have produced no clarity, as governments argue that European commitments need a US backstop.
Reuters noted that US President Donald Trump has yet to make any explicit pledge. His envoy Steve Witkoff met senior European officials in Paris hours before the meeting, according to diplomats. French President Emmanuel Macron said on 3 September alongside Zelenskyy that coalition leaders would endorse security plans drawn up by their militaries. Macron said Ukraine’s allies have finalized and are ready to politically approve military security guarantees to support Kyiv once a peace deal is reached, according to dpa.
Two European officials confirmed to Reuters the technical plans were finished, though they gave no details.
British and French army chiefs briefed the leaders during the talks. Macron told reporters, “We are ready, us Europeans, to provide security guarantees to Ukraine for when there is a signed peace,” while stressing that sincerity from Russia remains in question.
European officials said the goal was to send a political signal to Trump. Leaders hoped to highlight the absence of progress toward peace talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy since Trump hosted Putin in August.
Trump, after hosting Putin, accused him of conspiring with China and North Korea. On 3 September, he denounced the three leaders’ show of unity in Beijing during a commemoration of the end of World War Two.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on 3 September he expected clarity soon from the coalition on what could be delivered, and that this would pave the way for deeper discussions with Washington.
Western officials said the central element of guarantees would be continued support for Ukraine’s armed forces. Proposals also included deploying an international force in Ukraine or nearby countries to reassure Kyiv, despite Russia’s opposition to foreign troops.
European leaders insisted such a force could only happen with US backing. Trump has spoken in broad terms about supporting Ukraine but has not specified what Washington would contribute, Reuters says. The French presidency said some leaders would call Trump after the summit.
Ukrainian farmers watched their southern fields turn to dust this summer. A late and cold spring combined with the worst drought in decades slashed grain production by 11% and threatened the country with $1 billion in lost export revenue.
But bad weather alone could not have been overcome if there hadn’t been another, more menacing trouble: the war.
The harvest crisis reveals how bad weather, combined with destroyed irrigation systems in the central and eastern regions and war raising fertilizer prices, is a recipe for a perfect storm.
Kherson Oblast tells the story in stark numbers. The region lost its entire 55,000-hectare winter crop—fields that once produced 8-10 tons per hectare now struggle to reach 1-2 tons in the parched earth left behind after Russia blew up the Kakhovka dam in 2023.
“If these regions had irrigation, we could have avoided the losses. They could have produced 3-4 million tons of grain and oilseeds,” Deputy Minister of Economy Taras Vysotskyi said, commenting about the agricultural wasteland that was once Ukraine’s grain powerhouse.
The destruction rippled across southern Ukraine. Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv oblasts watched yields crash 30-50% as irrigation systems dried up and farmers calculated whether it was worth planting crops that might never grow.
The ongoing war is redrawing Ukraine’s farming map in real time.
Northern and western regions stepped up to fill the gap, achieving record yields: Lviv Oblast: 6.64 tons per hectare; Khmelnytskyi Oblast: 6.47 tons per hectare; Chernivtsi Oblast: 6.40 tons per hectare.
But geography can’t replace infrastructure.
Acting First Vice President of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences Ihor Hrynyk explained that due to rising resource prices, farmers are forced to reduce the amount of fertilizers applied, not provide adequate plant protection, cut back on agrotechnical measures, and abandon irrigation.
All this is making the crops sitting ducks for diseases and pests.
The World Bank predicts global grain prices will fall 11% later in 2025, creating a potential double squeeze that could cost Ukraine $900 million to $1 billion in export revenue.
For now, Deputy Economy Minister Vysotskyi notes prices “for the farmer remain high, really good,” but this may not last as global markets adjust to oversupply elsewhere.
The production drop threatens to increase domestic food prices just as Ukrainian families struggle with wartime inflation. Bread prices typically rise when wheat harvests fall, and an 11% grain reduction could force Ukraine to import more expensive grain or ration domestic supplies to maintain export revenues.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine, fruit and vegetable prices have decreased during the summer, which has also helped slow inflation.
However, these prices are expected to rise soon as Summer gives way to Autumn and the harvest period is over.
Late-season corn crops growing in northern regions offer Ukraine’s best hope for offsetting grain losses.
The corn harvest should reach about 27 million tons, matching last year’s levels thanks to better rainfall in Sumy, Poltava, Chernihiv, and Kyiv oblasts.
National Academy data shows average wheat yields crashed from 4.3-4.5 tons per hectare last year to just 3.1 tons per hectare in 2025.
However, corn’s resilience means the overall grain harvest may shrink by only 3-7% instead of the feared double-digit decline.
Ukraine’s reduced grain exports create opportunities that Russia has quickly exploited.
Moscow continues to steal grain from occupied Ukrainian territories while Ukraine’s drought-damaged harvest shrinks the country’s ability to compete in global markets, where, especially, the developing nations have been dependent on Ukrainian grain.
The timing benefits Russia’s broader strategy of using food as leverage. Russia previously withdrew from the Black Sea grain deal that allowed safe passage for Ukrainian exports, and has repeatedly targeted Ukrainian agricultural infrastructure throughout the war.
For Ukrainian farmers counting their losses, the drought represents not just a natural disaster but another blow to the country’s ability to fund its defense through agricultural exports—revenue Moscow would prefer to capture for itself.
Ukraine destroyed another Russian S-300V system in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, along with its radar, in a drone strike on 3 September, media reports said. The attack marks another major blow against Russia’s air defenses in Ukraine’s occupied south.
Militarnyi reports that the strike was carried out in the morning near the village of Oleksiivka in Polohy district by the Lasar’s Group unit of the National Guard. Video published by Telegram channel Butusov Plus shows drone operators identifying the Russian system before hitting it on a roadway. Petro Andriushchenko, head of the Center for the Study of Occupation, also released images of the destroyed launcher.
The destroyed radar was the 9S36 station, which forms part of Russia’s modern middle-range Buk-M2 and Buk-M3 air defense systems. The station uses a mast that can extend to 22 meters, giving it the ability to detect low-flying targets even in forested or uneven terrain. It guides missiles through its antenna post, which can rise to 21 meters.
According to the manufacturer’s data, the radar can track and engage up to four air targets at once, adjusting for terrain obstacles up to 20 meters high.
On 27 August, Ukraine struck a Russian S-300 division and aircraft at Baltimor airbase. That attack destroyed a 76N6 radar responsible for detecting targets at medium and high altitudes, as well as a 30N6 radar used for illumination and guidance.
Another S-300 system was destroyed earlier on 20 August by fighters of Lasar’s group on Russian-occupied territory in Zaporizhzhia oblast. Together with the latest strike, these operations highlight a sustained Ukrainian campaign targeting Russian air defense assets.
As European leaders prepare for a summit on 4 September in Paris, their approaches to security guarantees for postwar Ukraine remain divided into three distinct groups, the Financial Times reports. While a small group of countries, including the UK, are ready to deploy troops, Italy has ruled out participation entirely, and a larger group—among them Germany—have yet to make any firm commitments.
The planned multinational force for Ukraine is at the center of ongoing negotiations over long-term security guarantees. The initiative is being pushed by France and the UK, with the US offering limited but targeted support. According to FT, European capitals are under increasing pressure to clarify what each country is willing to contribute.
French President Emmanuel Macron will host the summit, with some leaders joining in person and others remotely. The talks follow a preparatory meeting on 3 September involving defense officials. UK Defense Secretary John Healey co-chaired the call, where he stated that Britain was “reviewing readiness levels of UK Armed Forces and accelerating funding to be ready for any deployment to Ukraine,” according to the UK Ministry of Defense.
An official from the Élysée Palace told FT that technical preparations for the coalition’s contribution had been completed by those countries “willing and able” to offer security guarantees. “Today we have enough contributions to be able to tell the Americans that we are ready to assume our responsibilities, provided that they assume theirs,” the official said.
US President Donald Trump has told European leaders that Washington would offer intelligence, command and control systems, and help in establishing an air defense shield, but insisted that the European side must lead the effort.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on 3 September that he expected “concrete proposals” to be delivered either that day or soon after. He added that further steps would include intensified coordination with the US regarding its participation in the broader effort.
Germany’s position remains unclear. Officials in Berlin reportedly reacted negatively to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s comments to FT that member states were working on “pretty precise plans” for potential deployments to Ukraine, including a “clear road map.”
© ASSOCIATED PRESS
In the early hours of 4 September 2025, Ukrainian Defense Forces reportedly struck two radar installations in southern Russia’s Rostov Oblast. Militarnyi reports that the targets were the “Navigation of the South” radar complex (RLS-1) and a site located at a former air defense base.
The RLS-1 “Navigation of the South” is part of the Aeronavigation South branch infrastructure in Rostov-on-Don. It performs key functions in air traffic management over southern Russia, including aircraft detection and tracking, route coordination, flight support, aviation radio communication, and fixed satellite links. The complex is part of Russia’s centralized air traffic control system.
Ukrainian Telegram channel Krymskyi Veter reported that a fire broke out at the site on 4 September, as shown by NASA’s FIRMS map that features detected thermal signatures at the location.
NASA data also show that the second site was on the grounds of a former air defense unit (military unit 65312) and military town that previously hosted the 1244th anti-aircraft missile regiment, which had been equipped with S-300PS surface-to-air missile systems in the 1990s. In 1997, the unit was merged with the 584th regiment and moved to Maryino in Moscow Oblast.
Militarnyi notes that Russia likely decided to restore the site for use in the war. A radar complex similar to RLS-1, believed to perform similar tasks, is located at the site.
On 12 August, Ukrainian Special Operations Forces destroyed the Skala-M radar station in Russian-occupied Crimea. The station was used for air traffic control along routes and approach zones, with a range of up to 350 kilometers. Images published by Dnipro Osint showed the station before and after the strike.
Senior official says Moscow will respond to ‘any illegal seizure of frozen Russian funds’
© Sputnik
Sweden has signaled that Ukraine’s dream of acquiring its most advanced fighter jets, the Gripen E, will have to wait until after Russia’s war ends. At the same time, Stockholm is showing more openness to discussing the donation of older Gripen C/D models sooner, despite earlier hesitation from NATO allies.
At MSPO 2025, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson told Breaking Defense that Kyiv had expressed interest in the Gripen system, particularly the new Gripen E operated by Sweden and Brazil. He described a possible sale of the advanced version as “a long-term endeavor” that could help build “a common air force capability” after the war. But Jonson stressed that any deal “depends” on the war’s conclusion and must be tied to long-term development.
Western nations have pledged to help rebuild Ukraine’s Air Force once Russia’s invasion is over, though it remains unclear which mix of aircraft will be provided. Jonson pointed to Sweden’s experience in developing joint air power with countries like the Czech Republic, Hungary, Thailand, and Brazil as a model for what could happen with Ukraine in the future.
Ukraine has long sought deliveries of older Gripen C/D fighters to boost its ability to resist Russia, but Stockholm held back. NATO allies asked Sweden not to move ahead so Kyiv could first focus on mastering F-16 jets and avoid overwhelming its pilots with different aircraft types.
Some French Mirage jets have already been delivered to Ukraine, while Sweden last year approved a donation of Gripen spare parts valued at $214 million. Jonson said Sweden remains “open to discuss” gifting older Gripen C/D aircraft and confirmed he raised the issue with his Ukrainian counterpart during a recent visit to Kyiv.
Saab executives have repeatedly argued that the Gripen E would be the best fit for Ukraine. Saab CEO Micael Johansson told Breaking Defense in February that the aircraft should be supplied “over time,” though he admitted “it’s purely a political decision” to begin with the C/D variant. On 2 September, Saab head of media relations Mattias Rådström said the company would “fully support Sweden in such an endeavor” and called the Gripen E the most suitable fighter for Ukraine’s defense needs.
The Ukrainian army’s 425th Assault Regiment is about to deploy ex-Australian M-1 Abrams tanks, making it only the second Ukrainian unit to do so. But even after the 69-ton M-1s arrive, the regiment’s most important assets may be the creativity, courage and sheer aggression of its infantry.
Consider the 425th Assault Regiment trooper who recently posed as Russian, fell in with two Russian soldiers—and then gunned them down from a few feet away. One of the regiment’s drones observed the cold-blooded ambush from overhead.
Russian and Ukrainian infantry often wear similar uniforms—and identify themselves with colored armbands. Further complicating the identity crisis, Russian sabotage groups have been known to dress in captured or copied Ukrainian uniforms when they infiltrate Ukrainian lines.
In any event, the victims mistook that 425th Assault Regiment Trooper for an ally. The Ukrainian trooper may have encouraged this misconception by speaking the right language. Most Russians speak Russian, of course—but then, so do many Ukrainians.
Recall that, in May 2024, a squad from the Ukrainian 3rd Assault Brigade captured a Russian radio during a bitter skirmish over a Russian-held gully somewhere north of Kharkiv. “We will now try to fuck them over,” the Ukrainian infantry leader said in the official video depicting the fight. “Who is a Russian-speaker?”
A Russian-speaking Ukrainian soldier hopped on the captured radio. “We’re 1st Company,” he transmitted—part of the same battalion as the Russians in the gully. The Russians shifted their fire to avoid hitting their “allies.”
“Let’s go,” the 3rd Assault Brigade infantry leader ordered. “Yell in Russian!” By the time the Russians realized the soldiers approaching them weren’t actually fellows Russians, it was too late. They were all but surrounded.
There are entire regiments and brigades in the Russian order of battle that are manned by Ukrainians from occupied oblasts—Ukrainians who are likelier to speak Russian. One of these units, the 132nd Motor Rifle Brigade, was at the vanguard of the Russian 51st Combined Arms Army’s effort to extend a salient northeast of the fortress city of Pokrovsk, in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast, last month.
These Ukrainians fighting for Russia “would better understand the area and potentially blend in,” noted Rob Lee, an analyst with the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia. But that local knowledge didn’t save them when, early last month, the Ukrainian 1st Azov Corps and other units—including the 425th Assault Regiment—counterattacked.
A month later, the salient and the 132nd Motor Rifle Brigade have both been mostly eliminated. Now the 425th Assault Regiment is pushing back Russian forces around Myrnohrad, just east of Pokrovsk. Surprisingly, the one-man ambush may have taken place in Boykovka, 15 km north of Myrnohrad in a zone many observers assume is largely under Russian control.
The circumstances are hazy. Was the ambusher a member of Ukrainian sabotage group infiltrating Russian lines the way Ukrainians routinely infiltrate Ukrainian lines?
The increasing porousness of the front makes deadly cases of misidentification more likely. “There isn’t a coherent front line,” American analyst Andrew Perpetua explained. Instead, there’s a wide no-man’s land between areas of clear Russian and Ukrainian control. That no-man’s-land is largely depopulated except for scattered—and carefully concealed—underground fighting positions for a few harried infantry doing their best to hide from the ever-present drones.
It’s that porousness that allowed the ill-fated 132nd Motor Rifle Brigade march right past undermanned Ukrainian trenches and extend their brief-lived salient northeast of Pokrovsk last month. The same lack of contiguous defenses may explain why a very dangerous Ukrainian and his supporting drone were wandering around Boykovka looking for gullible Russians to kill.
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When a building is full of Russians, send in an FPV drone first!. One Ukrainian regiment is attaching explosive drones to its infantry squads—to help clear Russians from buildings. |
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How Ukraine went from power blackouts to selling electricity to Europe in record numbers. Canadian engineers explore billion-dollar projects as Ukraine transforms from energy victim to electricity supplier. |
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Russian marines rushed to save the Pokrovsk offensive—HIMARS had other ideas. Russian reinforcements rolling toward Pokrovsk made a fatal mistake. They traveled in armored vehicles—and within range of Ukraine’s HIMARS. |
Ukrainian deep drone strike inside Russia hits railway station, delays 26 trains for hours. The attack on Kuteynikovo station in Rostov Oblast damaged electrical infrastructure and left an unexploded ordnance on the building roof, forcing the evacuation of all passengers and staff.
New Ukrainian KABs can glide 60 km, but expert says: “We need 100 every day”. Narozhny believes mass adoption would finally let Kyiv strike back at scale.
Ukraine establishes missile plant in Denmark near F-35 base for 3,000-km strikes
. European NATO allies accelerate weapons manufacturing partnerships with Ukraine as diminishing US support forces unprecedented defense industrial cooperation across the continent.
Chinese companies export, Russia kills, while trade between countries hits record €246 billion. Unlike North Korea, Beijing keeps its hands clean, letting companies feed the war machine through dual-use goods.
Shanghai summit shows old world order is dead, says Ukrainian volunteer. Berlinska claims that the axis of dictators demonstrates their power openly, indifferent to sanctions or global protests.
Putin discusses 150-year lifespan with Xi as as his Ukraine war costs one million Russian casualties. Due to biotechnology, human organs can be transplanted continuously, Putin says.
Putin thanks Kim for North Korean troops fighting against “neo-Nazism” in Ukraine
. This is the first time Putin has publicly thanked a foreign leader for soldiers’ deaths in Ukraine,
German chancellor says Putin has no reason to seek peace with Ukraine now. Merz calls for economic warfare as peace talks stall. Friedrich Merz said that Russia’s president sees advantage in continued fighting, pointing to territorial gains and international divisions as factors driving Moscow’s refusal to engage in meaningful dialogue.
“No one was plotting anything,” Russia responds to Trump. He wrote that Russia, China and North Korea conspire against US at Beijing parade. Russian presidential assistant Yuri Ushakov acknowledged irony in Trump’s Truth Social post as Putin, Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping gathered in Beijing for the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender.
No sleep in Ukraine for civilians as air raid alert lasts for 13 hours and 500+ weapons fly from Russia. Russian drones and missiles reached cities in western Ukraine close to the Poland’s border that many residents considered relatively safe from continuous Russian terror of civilians.
Creaking wheels: Russian railway cargo plunges for third quarter as war costs mount. Transport data exposes industrial collapse across Russia’s most strategic sectors.
Read our earlier daily review here.
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